Doom Days
by celtics534
Summary: The doom days were upon them. Harry was watching the world around him burn, yet all he could think about was her.
1. Last Couple Years Have Been a Mad Trip

**The Doom Days are upon us! This is a Muggle AU. This entire fic has been inspired by the song Doom Days by Bastille, and that is where all the chapter titles come from. **

**TheDistantDusk, Arnel, and gryffindormischief were amazing and edited this chapter. gryffindormischief when above and beyond by dealing with me asking way too many questions! Thanks guys! **

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Harry watched the bird soar high above him. The sun was finally out after weeks of a cold rain hounding the United Kingdom. He was tired- that bone tired where all you want to do is curl up in a soft bed and sleep for days. But he couldn't. He had to finish his mission.

He hefted the large duffle bag back up his shoulder as he turned his attention to the man walking out of the storefront. Well, what had _once_ been a storefront. Now it resembled a stereotypical bunker, the kind one might see in a film; boarded windows and steel locks covered every opening. The neon lights that had once shown a bright advertisement had been smashed. No one would ever guess it was a makeshift hospital.

The man kept his hood up as he approached Harry, a slight limp slowing his pace. Harry didn't say a thing, just waited. The hooded figured stopped right in front of Harry, his hand outstretched. "Harry."

"Neville." Harry took the offering smiled at his friend. "How's it been?"

Neville reached up and removed his hood, revealing a black eye and multiple cuts. "Eh, same old same old."

Harry shook his head. "What you do to deserve that shinner?"

"Eh?" Neville's fingers gently touched the bruise. "This is nothing. You should see the other guy."

"I'll get right on that, but first." Harry rolled the strap off his shoulder and handed the bag to his friend. "There's everything you asked for."

Neville unzipped the bag a few inches to peer into it. After a quick examination, he nodded and closed the duffle. "This will help a lot of people. Thanks, Harry." He pulled out a few ration cards and handed them to Harry. "Your payment."

Harry took the cards with a nod of thanks. "Do you have anything else you need?"

Neville glanced back at the hospital. "Not right now. I have a good stock on most things." He lifted the bag slightly. "These plants will go a long way to helping some of the children feel less pain."

"I hope so." Harry took his glasses off his nose and cleaned the lenses with a clean corner of his shirt.

"What about you?" Neville placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. "Do you need anything? Bandages? Alcohol? A good night's rest?"

Harry snorted. "I haven't had a good night's rest in over three years."

Neville let out a low, deprecating laugh. "You and everyone else. Well, if you need a bed for the night, our doors are always open for you."

A lump formed in Harry's throat. "I - Thank you."

"Of course." Neville patted his shoulder twice before stepping back. "Oh, by the way. Have you spoken to Arthur Weasley lately?"

Harry felt a jolt of electricity course through him at the mere mention of the name _Weasley_. He pushed _those_ feeling away as quickly as they came: This was not the time or place for his mind to think about _her_.

"Er- not for a while now. Why? Is he okay? The family?" If something had happened to her, Harry might snap.

"No, well..." Neville backtracked. "I think everyone is fine, but Arthur's been asking around. He's been looking for you."

Harry's panic faded, allowing his brain to function again. "Me? Did he say what he needs?"

Neville shook his head. "No, just to pass the word." He grinned. "This is me, passing the word."

Unable to stop himself, Harry snorted at his friend's poor humor. "Thanks, Nev."

"Anytime." Neville hung the bag strap on his shoulder. "Do you know where Arthur lives?"

Harry knew where to find the Weasleys. He never would admit it, but he'd kept tabs on them… on _her..._ for the past few years. "Yeah. I'll be fine."

Neville nodded once before limping back into the boarded brick building he had come from. Taking a deep breath, Harry turned and started back down the dirty cobble street. The building that the Weasley's called home was an hour walk from his current location, and Harry wanted to make it there before nightfall.

His feet knew the way through the back streets of London without any thought. He had taken every path across the city. Hell, he'd actually been outside the constructed walls that surrounded the district.

Harry still found it odd how the once great, large city had been reduced to small divisions. Mismatched pieces of metal stuck up from the ground as dividers, allowing appointed guards to keep order. It was safer that way, controlling who came and went. At least that's what they claimed. But it still made Harry's blood boil every time a mother and child were turned away, just because they didn't have any ration cards or were unwilling to sell their bodies to pay their way in.

The street was starting to clear as curfew drew closer and closer. No one made eye contact, choosing to keep their eyes downcast and to move quickly.

The last three years had been hard on people. The nearly constant fear was evident in the way people held their bodies. There was no such thing as trusting your neighbor anymore. No- your _neighbor_ would be the one to rob you blind the minute you turned your back.

Harry knew this all too well. Hell, he'd been both victim and thief before. Survival was the goal, above all else. If it was a choice between them and him, he'd always choose him.

Well… there were _some_ people he put first. The Weasley family were among the honored. They had practically raised him from the moment he and Ron became mates. Molly and Arthur Weasley were the best kind of people, Harry thought, for loving a poor, orphaned child.

There was only one person Harry held above his adopted parents -

_No!_

Harry shook his head vigorously, hoping to rid his mind of her... her and that red hair that always looked so smooth, those freckles that bunched together whenever she wrinkled her nose, and how could he forget -

_Fucking hell!_ Harry pinched his arm. He needed to stop before he fell back down that rabbit hole.

A light rain started to fall, making Harry's feet speed up. It wasn't long before he reached the brown brick building that housed Arthur and his family. Harry looked at the peeling black door, trying to ignore the scratchy feeling between his shoulder blades. Inside that building was his family who he hadn't seen in…

Harry ran a hand through his now-wet hair. Had it really been two and a half years since he'd seen them?

Movement by the ground floor window caught his eye. Someone had been looking at him. It only took another five seconds for the front door to open and manifest into Harry's best-yet-worst fantasy.

"Harry!" Ginny rushed out into the rain and wrapped her arms around his neck. Instantly, she clouded his senses. Her scent, a sweet, warm smell that had driven him crazy from the age of fifteen, filled his lungs. And the feeling of her fingers grazing the small hairs at the back of his head sent shivers down his spine.

"I've missed you," Ginny spoke into his neck, her breath somehow spreading warmth down to his toes.

"Hey, Gin." Harry refused to acknowledge the way his heart had started beating a tattoo against his chest.

"What are you doing here?" Ginny asked as she pulled away. Her hair had already plastered to her forehead and her face was flushed, but Harry's treacherous brain could only see the adorable dimple caused by her smile.

"I- er- your dad was looking for me."

Ginny's dimple disappeared as she frowned. "He was? Huh." She looked back at the house; the faint light from a candle positioned in the entrance lit the doorway. "Well, let's go find out why."

"You know, you should have asked me a security question before coming out of the house," Harry gently reminded her. Ginny snorted. Her arm tucked into his as she led the way into the warm light.

"Please, I'd know you from a mile away. No one could imitate your crazy hair." She reached her free arm around and ruffled his damp head.

Harry had to stomp on the butterflies that erupted in his stomach. He cleared his throat and tilted his head away from her onslaught. "_Still_."

"Fine next time, I'll hold a knife to your throat as a greeting. Sound good?"

"That's all I ask."

Ginny's laugh was loud in the unnatural silence of the once-busy metropolis. "It's so good to have you back, Harry."

Harry wanted to close his eyes and pretend that they were a normal boy and girl. He wanted to pretend they had no worries or fears, just two people who were going home together. But that was impossible for seemingly endless reasons. So instead, Harry just enjoyed the way her hand brushed his as they walked.

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"I think Dad's in his office." Ginny led the way by candlelight. Harry loved the way her shadow played off the walls, not to mention how it highlighted all of her flawless curves.

_Holy fucking Jesus, man!_ Harry mentally screamed at himself. _Keep it in your pants_.

Not like that was a real challenge. Between his jobs, healing from injuries he somehow sustained and pining for the red-head currently swaying her hips in front of him (because _yes,_ he knew what _pining_ was - and that he could be the definition for it), Harry was the poster boy for abstinence.

But, _fuck_, every time he saw Ginny…

"I'm gonna go make some tea." Ginny stopped in front of a closed white door, "I'll bring you and Dad some." She placed the candle down on a stand and pulled Harry in for another hug. "Don't even think of leaving before I see you again, got it?"

Harry nodded.

"Good boy." She patted his cheek. "Now go talk to dad." Harry watched her walk back down the corridor, his eyes still drifting to watch her hips. _Fuck!_

Shaking himself out of his fantasy, Harry turned to knock on Arthur's door. There was a quiet call for him to enter. The small room was more cluttered than Harry remembered, though he really hadn't come into this room very often. He had been more focused on heading to local green space with Ron or(though he'd never admit it to Arthur) pretending to work on his homework while really watching Ginny twirl her hair around her finger as she _actually _worked.

Arthur smiled at him as he entered. "Harry! How are you, son?" The older man stood up to hug him.

"I'm good, Mr. Weasley." Harry clapped Arthur on the back.

"Now, Harry." Arthur pulled away and gave him a friendly glare. "I've told you before. It's _Arthur_. How many times do I need to remind you?"

Harry smiled. This was how life should be. This was normal. "At least once more."

Arthur laughed heartily at Harry's classic answer. "Glad to see you haven't changed." He gestured for Harry to take the spare chair from the corner. Arthur waited until Harry settled himself in front of the desk before speaking again. "So, I've heard you've made quite a name for yourself."

Harry shrugged. "It's according to whom you talk to. People tend to exaggerate."

"Well my source, which I'll name to be Neville Longbottom, told me you're rather good at getting items for his hospital."

Again, Harry shrugged. Smuggling supplies from outside the walls really wasn't too hard as long as you knew the way and had the right equipment.

Arthur leaned forward in his seat, as he took off his glasses for quick cleaning. "Harry, I -" He swallowed hard as he placed his spectacles back onto his nose. "Harry, Molly's sick."

Harry's heart plummeted into his stomach. "Sick?" His voice was raspy, so he cleared his throat before trying again. "Which kind of sick?"

Everyone knew there was sick and then there was _sick_. The latter being far worse.

Three years previously a plague started to form, and yes, _plague_ was the only word for it. It started at Parliament and then hit Scotland Yard. Within twenty-four hours, ninety percent of the government forces were dead from some unknown illness.

The sickness (or what people took to calling "Morsmordre") continued to spread to commoners. Within a year of the first death, over half of England's population was dead. Over time, the power of Morsmordre seemed to lessen. People were still developing the symptoms, but it was taking longer for it to completely destroy their system. The downside to that was it prolonged their suffering.

Anarchy had been created in the chaos of the disease. Power was lost and phones became a thing of the past. Bands of rebels had formed and made it so the common man couldn't feel safe, even in their own home. That was when the walls were built around the city of London. Guards manned the entrances (they knew of) refusing entry to people without clearance.

Arthur gulped audibly and Harry could see the tears start to spring to the man's eyes. Harry had to look away. Here was one of the strongest men Harry knew brought to tears. _Fuck this world! _And Molly… _not _Molly.

Harry reached out a hand. Arthur grasped it tightly as he gulped in large breaths of air. After a minute Arthur spoke in a tight voice. "I've heard of a certain plant that can help…"

"Arthur." Harry understood what going to be asked of him. "There isn't any cure. Everyone knows -"

"_Harry."_ Arthur's cut him off. "I have to try. You understand, right?"

And Harry did. He truly did. He would do anything if it meant that Molly would be fine. Yet… Harry had seen enough of this world to not hope. But when he looked into Arthur's eyes he knew he couldn't say no. "Arthur…" He sighed. "Where can I find this plant?"

"Find the…" Arthur shook his head. "You misunderstand me, or I guess I haven't explained myself. I want you to take Ginny to Bill's."

Harry blinked rapidly. "You want me to… what?"

As Arthur opened his mouth, a knock on the door announced Ginny's arrival. "Tea, gentlemen?" She placed a tray with three steaming mugs down on the messy wooden desk between Harry and Arthur. "I brought all the fixins'." She perched herself on the edge of Harry's chair, one of the mugs clutched between her hands. "What are you two talking about?"

"Ginny," Arthur sighed. "I -" His voice choked as a sob rose past his lips.

"Dad?" Ginny's smile fell as she moved to her father, placing her tea aside. "What's wrong?"

Arthur breathed deeply as Ginny rubbed soothing circles on his back. After a moment he lifted his head. "It's your mother, Ginny."

Harry watched as Ginny's face paled; she understood everything her father couldn't say. "_No."_ It was more of a plea than anything. That one word almost made Harry leap from his chair and pull her into his arms, but instead, he remained stationary, watching the scene before him with his gut clenched painfully.

"Ginny, I need you to go to Bill's," Arthur spoke calmly, but because Harry knew the man so well, he could see the pain his own words inflicted on him.

"_No!"_ This time, it was a refusal. Ginny stood stock-straight, glaring at her father. "I won't leave you."

"I need you to be somewhere safe while I go find a cure for your mother."

"Dad, I don't need to be hidden away."

Arthur rose and placed his hands on his daughter's shoulders, looking her dead in the eye. "You don't think I know that? I raised you, Ginny. I know what you're capable of."

"Then why-"

"Because your mother and I need to know you're safe." Arthur didn't raise his voice, but his tone had the same commanding effect as if he had. "I need to focus on this right now and that means I'll be going outside the walls-"

"Dad, that's illegal without the proper clearance. If anyone should do it, it's me. I'm younger so I'll move faster. Not to mention-"

Arthur just shook his head, cutting off his daughter. "No, I need to do this."

Ginny glared at her father, her lips becoming impossibly thin. "_Dad."_

Sighing deeply, Arthur pulled his daughter into a hug. "I love you, Ginny, but I'm not changing my mind. I want you and Harry to go to Bill's."

"Wait…" Ginny looked back and forth between her father and Harry. "Me and _Harry_?"

"Yes. I'll feel better with you watching each other's backs. Not to mention you haven't been outside of the city in at least two years."

Harry watched Ginny bite her bottom lip. If he didn't know better he'd say she looked guilty. Actually, he did know better: Ginny _had_ been outside the walls.

Arthur took advantage of Ginny's silence. Kissing the top of her head, Arthur took a step back."Not to mention, you and I both know how contagious this disease can become." He looked at the framed photos of his beloved sons. "I'm going to go check on your mother."

And just like that, Harry was alone with Ginny. Neither of them said a thing, both lost in their own thoughts. Harry still couldn't wrap his mind around it. Molly Weasley was - she was - the words refused to be spoken, even in his own mind.

"_Fuck!_" Ginny's sudden outburst made Harry jump a meter in the air. "Sorry." Though she didn't really sound sorry. "But Goddamn it! I knew something was wrong, but I didn't want to think..."

She turned her face away, but Harry knew she was holding back a sob. This time, he didn't hesitate. Harry rose from his seat and placed a hand on Ginny's back.

"Hey." He didn't know what to say. Words had never been his strong suit. His hand started making small circles between her shoulder blades. He could feel her body tremble. "_Ginny."_

When she turned, Harry got a quick view of silent tears and a set jaw before her face was buried in his shirt. His arms wrapped around her form, wishing he could do more. He could feel her sobs now, though she remained silent.

Harry held her while her body shook. After a few minutes, the tremors calmed and her breathing seemed to even out. When she pulled back, her face was blotchy and tear tracks ran down her cheeks, but to Harry, she was still the most beautiful woman.

"Thanks, Harry." Ginny ran a fist over each cheek, trying to dry them. "I know that probably made you uncomfortable."

"No!" Harry spoke _way_ too quickly and way too loudly for it to sound believable. But really, it hadn't made him feel awkward at all, which surprised him. He had never been good with tears, but for some reason, when Ginny cried it didn't make him want to run and hide. "I - I - are you okay?"

_Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Of course, she isn't alright you dolt! _

Ginny shook her head but gave him a small smile. "No, but I'll have to be. I've learned that nothing in this world is safe." Her eyes glanced at the picture that hung behind the desk. A photo of Ginny's brothers Fred, George, and Ron beamed back at them. The photo had been taken two weeks before the first case of Morsmordre was discovered- four weeks before all three of the men were dead.

That had been Harry's breaking point. He'd lost his best friend, who had been more of a brother to him, to some fucking disease. And now, the same thing was happening to the woman he considered to be his mother.

"Ginny. I'm sorry." Harry couldn't say it enough. _God, _was he ever sorry...

"It's not your fault."

"I know, but-"

"Harry." Ginny placed a finger over his lips. His attention fell to it, going cross-eyed to keep in focus. "Save your guilt trips for things that are actually your fault. If I remove my finger, will you be good?" He nodded and Ginny drew her hand back. "I'm going to go check on my mum and dad. Why don't you start planning our route to Bill's."

Harry saw a flash of hesitation before Ginny's jaw set again. Then she was on her tiptoes, her lips on his cheek. "Thanks again."

And like that Harry was alone in the study. His body now felt cold without her in his arms.

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"Dad?" Ginny knocked on her parents' bedroom door. "May I come in?" A muffled sob was the first thing sound she heard come out of the room, followed by a quiet throat-clear, and finally her father's voice.. A candle in the corner presented the only source of light, making it so Ginny had a hard time seeing her mother.

Over the past few days, she'd known her mother had been sick. Molly hadn't come out for dinners or accepted her invitation to play charades. Ginny just hadn't known how bad her mother's illness had been, or maybe subconsciously she had just been hoping that it wasn't Morsmordre. She'd flatly refused to consider the possibility.

But though it was hard to see in the faint light, she could tell her mother had the tell-tale signs of Morsmordre. There was no other way Molly could have gotten peeling green scabs across her face.

"Ginny." Molly's voice sounded as if she hadn't spoken in ten years. Moving in closer, Ginny could see her mother's brown eyes bleary and unfocused. "Did you talk -" Ginny's mother wasn't able to finish her sentence due to a guttural coughing fit.

"Mum." Ginny couldn't even think as she grasped her mother's hand. The normally warm, comforting touch Ginny had always related to her mother was gone, replaced with what she would assume the dead felt like.

Molly took a sip from the straw Arthur offered her before speaking again. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you about this sooner, love. Your father and I thought you might run off and try to find a cure by yourself."

Ginny nodded. That's exactly what she would have done. She would have marched across all of England if it meant she didn't have to lose-

_Just when she thought was done with tears! _

"Come here." Molly slowly opened her arms, allowing Ginny to crawl in then like she used to do as a child.

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Ginny gathered the last of her shirts, throwing them unceremoniously into her rucksack. After spending thirty minutes in her mother's arms, Ginny had felt as if the air inside the bedroom had been sucked out and she needed to get away.

Her mind had been blank as she packed everything she might need on the trip to Bill's. Which was at least a four-day walk, and that was without any issues arising. Though Ginny hadn't ventured far outside of the "safe zone" that London provided, she had seen enough to know that trekking across the country _would_ have issues.

A knock on her bedroom door made her head shoot up. "Yeah?"

"It's Harry. Can I come in?"

Ginny's treacherous heart started beating faster than the wings of a baby bird's first flight. _God! _She hated that he still had this effect on her. Hadn't pining for Harry the entirety of her teen years been enough? _Of bloody course not!_ The moment she had spotted him standing outside their house, Ginny's body had been out of her mind's control.

She hadn't seen him in over two years, and _fuck,_ she'd missed him. They had been close friends from secondary school, but during their A levels, their friendship had taken on a new depth. There had even been a time, somewhere between Harry starting uni and her completing her A levels, where Ginny had thought something more than friendship might happen for them. But then the world had gone to hell in a handbasket.

"Ginny?" Harry spoke again.

Ginny mentally shook herself, jarring herself into action. She moved to the door and leaned against it. "How do I know you're really Harry?"

"Really, Gin?" Harry exasperated tone made Ginny smile.

_Fuck, I love the way he says Gin._ "_Really_ really. I need you to answer a question only the real Harry would know."

"Like what?"

Ginny thought about it for a moment. "What happened the first time we went to Brighton alone?"

She laughed as she heard a thump on the wall beside her. "Come on. Why did you have to bring that up?"

"Answer the question, Harry. If that _is_ your name."

His voice got even more muffled as he lowered his voice, but Ginny could faintly make out his words. "I tripped and fell."

"And?"

"And I fell into someone."

"_And?_"

"I tried to catch myself by using a stranger's breasts. Happy now?"

Ginny opened the door wide to a flushed Harry. "Very."

Harry just shook his head. "Why do you like bringing that story up?"

"I haven't mentioned it in like two years."

There was a moment of silence between them. Their eyes locked. Then Harry's lips quirked upwards before he snorted. "Well, you're not wrong."

"I rarely am."

And that was the final straw. Harry laughed so hard his shoulders shook.

Ginny had to hold herself back because at that moment all she wanted to do was reach out and run her hand along his dark jawline before pulling his chapped lips to hers. _Fuck_! Why couldn't her brain understand that was never gonna happen?

Harry had stopped laughing and was staring at her with an intense look behind his glasses. Ginny knew that look. It had become commonplace during their teen years, and it was when she thought - _hoped_ \- that it was a look that said he wanted her more than just a best friend.

_Crash._

Both she and Harry jumped backward as her half-packed bag tumbled to the floor, spilling most of the contents on the floor.

It wasn't until she looked back at Harry that she realized that she had been moving in closer. Shit, her body had possessed her mind again!

Clearing his throat, Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "Right, so I just wanted to discuss the plan if you have a moment."

_Fuck! _What was she doing? Now she'd made Harry uncomfortable for the second time in under five hours. _God,_ she needed to keep it in her pants. But then again, while her mind replayed the delicate ten seconds before the bag fell to the floor in sharp clarity, she could have sworn Harry's body had been tilting her way too. Had he been… Ginny blinked rapidly, trying to bring her eyes back into focus.

_Nope! Don't even go there, girl! _

"Uh… yeah!" She moved over to the fallen rucksack, stuffing the clothing that had tumbled out back into the holder. "I'll meet you in the sitting room in a few minutes."

Harry nodded. He cleared his throat once more, before hastily retreating from the room. Ginny flopped backward onto her bed, her hands coming up to cover her face. _Fuck!_

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"Then we can stop in Glasbury. I have a man who owes me a favor there." Harry pointed to the small village on the map of England. "He should have some supplies if we need any."

Ginny nodded. Harry had explained every possible spot where they could stop and have an ally. He had also explained that landmarks and county lines had changed. London wasn't the only safe zone that created walls to protect its people so they could take advantage of the shelter. They just needed to know the right people… and apparently, Harry did.

"How do you know so many people along this route?" Ginny thought it was strange that Harry had so many people that owed him favors in all these locations. Why was he going towards Wales so often?

Harry sighed. "I have a client that likes me to bring certain items out to Dale."

Ginny nodded. "What kind of things?"

"Things that aren't easy to obtain."

She hated when Harry did this; his mysterious and aloof attitude could really grind her gears. He'd acted this way when they were kids too, but she had knocked that habit out of him. It seemed like she was going to have to do it again. Rising slowly from her chair, Ginny leaned over the table as if she were trying to see a small detail hidden on the map. With the speed of a skilled cricket pitcher, she thumped Harry across the back of the head.

"Ow!" Harry's hand jumped to the injured area. "What the fuck, Gin?"

"If we're gonna be walking halfway across this country together, I don't want any of your ambiguous bullshit." She narrowed her eyes at him. "We _need_ to be completely honest with each other, got it?"

Harry glared for at her for a few seconds, his hand rubbing the back of his head. "Fine." He finally agreed. "But there will be some things I can't tell you."

Ginny shrugged. "You don't have to be an arse about it. Just say, 'Ginny, I can't tell you.'"

If Ginny hadn't spent many hours watching Harry during their summer holidays and homework sessions, she may have missed the corner of his lips quirking upwards (the way they did whenever he was hiding his amusement). "Fine."

"Good, now that's settled." Ginny leaned back over the map, gesturing to Abingdon. "Why did you draw a star there?"

Harry took a moment to respond, and when Ginny looked up at him through her lashes she could see that intense gaze focused on her again. It sent butterflies cascading through her stomach.

"Oh, er…" Harry cleared his throat. "_Right_. I may be able to find us a car there."

Ginny pushed away from the table and looked sharply at Harry. "No fucking way. _No one_ has a car that's worked in years."

Harry shrugged. "Do you remember my old mate Seamus?"

Ginny had to think about it for a moment. "The Irish bloke that moved here during secondary?"

"Right in one! He was always rather good with cars. I helped him out of a tricky spot a year or so ago. I'm hoping he will be able to return the favor."

"What are the odds of him having a car that runs, though?"

Harry pursed his lips while considering her question. "I guess we'll just have to wait and find out. Even if he can't help us get a car, Abingdon has protective walls like London. It will be a safe spot to bunk for the night."

They fell into a silence, both staring at the map, seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Ginny, for her part, was trying to imagine how everything might have changed. The last time she'd been over towards the coast, all her brothers were still alive. Would things even be recognizable?

"Well." Arthur's voice from the doorway made Ginny jump. "It sounds like you've quite a journey ahead of yourselves. You should get some sleep. Harry, you can take the spare room across from Ginny." And just as suddenly as he appeared, Ginny's father left.

"He's right." Harry folded the map into a tiny square. "We're going to need to leave early in the morning."

Ginny nodded. They walked side by side to their rooms. When they reached the doors, both she and Harry paused looking at each other.

"Well…" Harry's hand came up to rub the back of his neck. "See you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Harry." Without any conscious thought, Ginny got up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek for the second time that day. She let her lips linger a second longer than the last time, before slowly lowering herself back to the floor, her nose brushing along his jaw. Without another word she turned into her room, shutting the door behind her. She let out a huff, her eyes turned towards the ceiling as she fell back against the door.


	2. Here 'Til the Morning Breaks Us

**Here we go for round 2! TheDistantDusk, Arnel, and gryffindormischief have been awesome editing this chapter (and every other one I've written so far!)**

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Harry watched from a distance as Ginny said goodbye to her father. He had already said his goodbyes, his parting with Molly more emotional than he'd like to admit, especially seeing as he was unable to even hug her due to her illness. And his farewell with Arthur hadn't been any less heartfelt. Now he was witnessing the final tearful hug between father and daughter.

He knew they needed to get moving in order to beat the early morning patrol, but he hated the idea of rushing them. There was no telling the next time they would get to see each other, if at all...

_Don't think like that!_

Harry rolled his shoulders, hiking his rucksack up his back. Arthur and Ginny separated, their faces flushed and sad.. Then, without another word, Ginny picked up her bag and walked over to the front door where Harry waited.

"You good?" Harry asked. He needed her in the right mindset, ready for anything.

Ginny's jaw clenched, but she gave him a quick nod. "Yeah."

Harry knew she wasn't really _good_. How could she be? She was leaving the only home she'd ever known, mix that with her mother's impending death hanging over her head… There was no way she was good. Luckily, Ginny was one of the strongest people he knew. She would be _good_ if the situation required...

"All right." And with that, Harry opened the front door for Ginny, turned his back on the man he considered a father, and stepped outside after her. The moon was still higher than the sun when they took their first step onto the cobbled street.

They moved in silence, both tired from little sleep. Harry's thoughts kept drifting to the patrol schedules he'd observed. No one would notice them slipping by Westminster Hall at this time in the morning. If, for some reason, there was a change in the guard schedule, they could use the hidden passage that was on the second level of the Westminster tube station. That would lead them to -

"Harry?" Ginny's voice tore Harry from his mind map.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think there really is a plant that can help Mum?"

Harry stopped dead in his tracks. Ginny walked past him before stopping and turning to meet his eyes. Her brown eyes were brighter than normal, but her jaw was set. He thought back to their discussion from the previous night.

He closed the space between them and grabbed her hand in both of his. It was warm despite the cool morning air. "I've never heard of anyone surviving Morsmordre, Gin. As much as I want to believe…"

"Right." Ginny swallowed hard. "I know you're right, but…"

Harry didn't have a clue what possessed him to do it, but he pulled her hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of it. "_I know." _

They remained stationary for a few moments. Harry losing himself in deep pools of chocolate brown before his sense came back to him. _Fuck._ He'd only made it a kilometer before acting like a complete numpty.

He cleared his throat. "We best get going if we want to make it to Wembley before it gets too late."

Ginny closed her eyes for five seconds before nodding and releasing Harry's hand.

It didn't take long for them to reach the famous Elizabeth's Tower. After their...well, what Harry dubbed '_Their Moment'_, they moved quickly. Neither seemed willing to address what had transpired.

Harry looked up at the old clock face. The clock that used to tell time for millions of Londoners had been frozen for years now. Without any engineers to wind the cables properly, the hands had stopped at eleven and fifteen. No matter how many times Harry looked at the stopped clock, he could never get over it. It was a testament to the world they lived in: Nothing was safe, no matter how sacred.

"So, why are you worried about the guards around here?" Ginny kept her voice low as they walked across Westminster Bridge.

"They don't like traffic moving this early. Even though the curfew lifted five minutes ago, they think it's suspicious to be about so early." Harry checked the corners he knew patrolmen would stand in. "Also, I may have a few things in my bag I'd rather not explain."

Ginny made a noise of understanding. "I see."

"Yeah, it's just better to dodge meeting our local constables." Harry looked around the old tourist shop before he let them round the corner. No one in sight. They moved swiftly up Parliament Street, eyes ever watchful.

Harry knew they would be fine once they reached St James Park. No one ever questioned a couple walking through the green spaces of the city (even in the early hours). It was one of the few joys the people of London had left. Harry breathed out a sigh of relief as they moved down the stairs that sat next to the old Winston Churchill War Room. The park was just a quick walk across the street.

"You know," Ginny's spoke over the sound of birds chatting in the trees. "This was always one of my favorite parks."

"I remember." Harry thought about the times he, Ron, and Ginny had wandered around the city, and how they always seemed to end up at St James'. "You love the duck cottage."

Ginny beamed at him. "It's just such a cute little building. I always imagined myself in an adorable bungalow."

"You and your ten cats?"

Ginny gave his shoulder a light shove. "How dare you."

"Have you met me? Of course I dare!"

Snorting, Ginny turned her attention back to the path, but a small smile tilted her lips. Harry couldn't stop a grin from spreading across his face as well. Even though everything was a complete shit show, they were still able to joke around as easily as they used to.

Harry wished everything was like when they were kids. It felt like he was living someone else's life back then. Back then he had no real worries. He could go out with his friends, not feeling as if he needed to keep looking over his shoulder every two minutes. Hell, his only problem back then had been his overwhelming attraction to -

He snuck a side glance at Ginny. She was still some sort of kryptonite for him. Somehow, even though the world had gone wild, Ginny made his heart race more than anything else could. Harry couldn't help but wonder if the world had never collapsed into anarchy and chaos if he would have told Ginny how he felt. He had been working up to it - he _really_ had been - but then Parliament fell, and so did his chance to be with her.

If things had been different (if her mother weren't dying, if they weren't trying to escape the city), Harry might have tried to reach for her slightly swinging hand as they walked. But instead, he kept his eyes peeled in front of him and his own hand in a fixed fist. As the sun rose higher in the sky, they saw more and more people going about their everyday routines (taking a morning jog or going to spend their ration cards on breakfast materials). Which was exactly what he wanted; the more people that were out and about, the less suspicious he and Ginny looked.

They were able to reach Wembley Stadium without any confrontation, which made Harry's chest loosen. But to be fair, he kept in mind that this was the easy part of their journey. There was so much that could go wrong outside of the walls of London.

"All right." Harry nodded towards the shattered glass walls that had once protected the stadium. "We need to head to the home team locker room."

Ginny closed her eyes for a second, taking in a deep breath, before nodding. "Okay."

Harry led the way through the open corridors that had once teemed with fans. Today, though, the path to the locker room was an obstacle course from fallen debris. Harry jumped down off a ledge (where stairs might have once been) and turned to catch Ginny, but she was already landing smoothly beside him. When their eyes met, Ginny only quirked a brow at him in challenge.

Smiling to himself, Harry opened his rucksack and pulled out his torch. The natural light that had been their guide previously was removed farther down the passage. As far as he could tell, there was nothing but darkness fifty feet from their drop point.

"It's gonna be a tight squeeze through here." Harry pointed his light beam towards a small opening where the ceiling had fallen down, creating a passage that was nearly blocked. The gap between the floor and rubble was so narrow that Harry was forced to get onto his hands and knees.

He started to crawl through the opening, making it ten meters before looking over his shoulder; there was nothing behind him, but Ginny's torch should have been blinding his vision... "Ginny?" When she didn't respond he made a tight U-turn, his back scratching the ceiling. She was standing by the entrance of the near-cave in with a look that Harry couldn't quite place. If he had to put a label on it he might say… _fear_.

Harry removed himself completely from the tunnel and stood to face her. "Ginny, are you all right?"

He could see her throat work as she swallowed. "I - uh - I have an issue with tight spaces."

"Really? I didn't know that." Harry gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up into his face, making reluctant eye contact.

"I don't really go taking out adverts about it." Ginny's lips turned up in a self-deprecating smile.

Harry didn't think, he just acted. Seeing Ginny, of all people, looking weak and vulnerable twisted his stomach. He pulled her to his body and held her close. Her head rested perfectly under his chin as she pressed her nose into his shirt. They didn't speak, the unnatural silence making the pounding of Harry's own heart prominent in his ears.

He felt Ginny sigh before backing out of his embrace. "Thanks. I'm ready now." Harry knew she was capable, but he also knew that what it was like to face a fear. And he knew what it was like to force yourself to face the deepest, darkest horrors of your mind.

"I'm gonna talk to you the whole way, alright?" He met her eyes, and even in the poor lighting of their torches, he could see the panic. Again, he acted without forethought: He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

Harry pulled back and turned back to the tunnel. "Just stay close and we'll get through no problem." He went down onto his knees and started to go down the dark passage again.

This time, he could sense Ginny's presence as she followed him. The sound of her heavy breathing surrounded them.

"So Ginny, how often have you left the safety of London's walls?" It was the first thing Harry thought of; any topic was better than nothing.

"What do you mean?" Ginny's voice was labored, but at least she was able to answer.

"I saw the way you looked when your father mentioned the idea of you traveling outside the walls. You looked _way_ too guilty."

"I -" She let out a quick breath. "Yeah, I've been helping Luna."

"Helping Luna do what?" Luna Lovegood was always an intriguing character, so Harry could only imagine what they had been doing.

Another deep breath. "She was worried about the pigeon population."

Harry really wanted to turn and stare at her, because there was no way his ears were hearing her right. He needed to read her lips to make sure he was hearing properly (not that staring at her soft lips had ever been a hardship for him). "_Pigeons_?"

He heard her puff out an amused breath. "Luna said their breeding habits had been taking a strange turn -"

"How often is Luna watching pigeons breed?"

"I - I didn't ask that, but she insisted that being outside of the walls would help."

Harry let out a low laugh. "She does remember when people called them rats with wings, right? I don't think people really care about their population level."

Ginny chuckled. "That doesn't matter. They are still a creature that Luna wants to save. So, we try to save them."

"And did it help? Has their _productivity _gone up?"

"To be honest, I think I saw the same flock a day later in St James, so I don't think they cared for the life we offered."

Harry could see the space opening up in the next ten meters. Ginny seemed to be doing fine. If he could keep her distracted for just another minute...

"I'm surprised Luna didn't name them."

"Who said she hadn't? There was Hades who was darker than the rest, then Athena and Zeus. She figured Zeus would sire the most children. And then there was my favorite -" Ginny cut herself off as Harry helped her rise off her knees. They had reached the old locker room and the ceiling had leveled out enough for them to stand.

"Which one was your favorite?" Harry smiled at her. In the meager light of their torches, Harry could see the different emotions flicker across Ginny's face: Shock, relief, and then finally happiness.

"Holy shit." Ginny looked up at him. "We did it."

"That's right. _You_ did it."

Ginny released a freeing laugh. Then her arms were around his neck, propelling herself into his chest. "Thank you!" She let him go as quickly as she had grabbed him, her face bright red. "Where to next?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ginny watched her torch beam bounce off Harry's back as they walked down the narrow corridor. She couldn't get over how Harry had helped her through that tunnel. She had been afraid of small enclosed spaces since she was a child.

It had started one summer when she'd been exploring a cave with Ron while they were visiting their aunt in the country. Out of nowhere the ceiling had fallen in, cutting her off from her brother and the outside world. There hadn't been much room in her little pocket of the cave. Ginny could still remember the feeling of suffocating darkness. There had been a faint light from a part of the ceiling that had landed at an odd angle, allowing her to glimpse a fraction of the cave entrance.

Really, she hadn't been in that cave for a long time. Ron had instantly gotten free and found their dad, but when you're seven years old, a few minutes is the same as a few years. Since then, Ginny had made a point of avoiding confined spaces.

When she had started crawling through that tunnel, _fuck_, she'd forgotten how to breathe. But Harry, sweet and adorable Harry, had made her forget where she was. And focusing on his voice and his words had made everything that much better.

When Harry'd looked over his shoulder, she'd seen his lips curve into a smile. When he smiled, _truly_ smiled, his lips slightly parted and the left side of his mouth went _just _that much higher than the right. Ginny had always loved that smile, and right now, it was the most beautiful thing.

"So, my friend Hannah should be meeting us at the other end of this." Harry stopped in order to move a fallen beam up so she could pass under it.

"Where does it end?" Ginny used her shoulder to holster the beam as he took his turn.

"It leads right to a place called The Tunnel Lounge." The path was large enough for them to walk side by side.

"That pretty ironic."

"In the best way." Harry gave her that lovely smile again. "Hannah used to waitress at one of the local pubs. When everything went to shite, she decided to use her connections for good."

"And is that how you know her?"

Harry laughed. "My pub days were much more local to my flat. No, I met her through one of her... _connections_. Actually, it's a mutual connection of ours, Neville. You remember him from school, right? Here we are!" He laid his hands flat against a solid wood wall. With a firm push, the wall swung wide to reveal a small but quaint room. Oil lamps lined the walls, bathing the room in a serene light. In the corner sat two figures, their silhouettes acting like shadow puppets as they talked animatedly. One woman and one man, if Ginny had to guess.

"Hannah, how are you?" Harry waved towards the duo. When the woman turned to look at them, Ginny saw a sweet smile spread across her face. _Just Neville's type_, Ginny thought to herself.

"Harry!" Hannah strode across the room and pulled him into a tight hug. Ginny never considered herself the jealous type, and she had no right to be jealous, but her stomach twisted into impossibly tight knots when the pretty girl held Harry in her arms.

"How are things here, Hannah?" Harry smiled down at his friend as they separated.

"Good. Ced and I have been running a smooth ship." She looked back at the man. Cedric had one of those pretty boy faces. The only thing that ruined the image was a long scar that ran down his jaw.

Ced moved over and shook both their hands. "Hannah speaks highly of you. She says you need some help getting to Abingdon."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I'm meeting a friend there."

"Shouldn't be too bad." Cedric rubbed at his scar. "The only problem spot is High Wycombe. I've been taking reports of raiders in the area."

"What kind of raiders?"

Cedric gave them a somber smile. "Are there different kinds? No matter what, they'll happily shoot you on sight."

Harry shook his head. "They'll shoot us on sight, but some will aim for the head and others will…" He grimaced. "Just aim to maim."

"Ah." Cedric nodded in understanding. "Right, these are the kill-shot kind of blokes. They don't like to… _play _with their food."

Ginny suppressed a shudder. Being eaten by cannibals was not on her bucket list.

Harry scratched the back of his neck. "Okay, so what's the best way around our lovely neighbors?"

"That's the problem," Hannah spoke up. "They've created roadblocks all around the city."

"What about back roads?"

Hannah walked over to a table where a map was sprawled out, Harry and Ginny following her. The map was covered in red x's all the way up to the Scottish border. "Every mark is a blockade of some sort." Hannah moved her finger along the motorway that led to Abingdon. "This has a large car pile that is used to ambush travelers." She made a trail to a side road with her finger. "_Here_ is where a group of wild mutts has taken to calling home."

"And it just gets worse from there." Cedric shook his head. "I'd say our best bet might be over here." He pointed to Marlow. "It adds some time, but we haven't heard anything too drastic about the area."

Harry scratched at his jaw, the two-day stubble creating an entirely too sexy noise. _Now's not the time, Ginny!_

"What have you heard about the area?" Ginny looked over at Cedric; for some reason, it was easier to look at his boy band facial features than Harry's darkened jaw.

"There are some… unfavorable people hanging around, but.." Cedric shrugged. "It's better than the other options."

"Ced is willing to take you guys to Lower Assendon. We have a partner who will lend you a bunk for the night." Hannah pointed to the little village.

"That sounds like a good plan." Harry nodded his appreciation at Hannah then Cedric. "I'll owe you one for this, Hannah."

"We'll be even at best, Harry." Hannah gave him another hug. "Now, let's get you lot equipped."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So, what's going on with you two?" Hannah asked Ginny as they filled up multiple canteens with water from the makeshift rain collector.

Ginny glared at the all-too-amused brunette. She could feel her face heating, and just hoped that the lighting was dim enough that Hannah couldn't see it. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Hannah snorted. "Please, girl. I'm not blind. The way you two look at each other." She used her hand like a fan. "_Fuck_, love… and that's an order!"

"What looks?" Ginny knew she probably had the look of a lovesick teenager every time she glanced at Harry, but Hannah made it sound as if it was a mutual infatuation…

"Ginny." Hannah plucked the bottle Ginny had been filling out of her hand and placed it on a nearby table. She then cupped Ginny's jaw and gave her a serious stare. "You and Harry have what Cedric likes to call _bedroom eyes_. He likes to tease me about -" Hannah cut herself off with a throat clearing. "About _someone_."

"Neville?" Ginny asked too innocently. When Hannah blushed, Ginny felt a petty satisfaction at turning the tables on Hannah.

"So you know about Nev." Hannah cleared her throat once more. "I've had a thing for Neville for a while now. But, we hardly see each other so it's a moot point. Now you and Harry?" She shrugged. "You're gonna be traveling for days together. _Camping_ with each other. Things can happen late at night around a fire."

Ginny scrubbed at her face with the palms of her hands. Clearly, Hannah wasn't going to be deterred. "All right, I've had a thing for Harry since… forever. But." She put up her index finger. "Now isn't the time or place - "

"Now's a perfect time!" Hannah interrupted, her hand coming up to rest Ginny's shoulder. "Ginny, trust me when I say you don't want your chance to slide by. You two are perfect for each other, and honestly, we need more love in this Godforsaken world."

When Ginny looked into Hannah's brown eyes, she could see the truth behind the misery. Swallowing hard, Ginny nodded. "Okay, but you need to do the same. Why not go give Neville a hand at the hospital?"

Hannah's lips twisted into a cynical smile as she let out a deep sigh. "If only it were that easy. I'm needed here and there isn't any -"

Right then, the door to the old kitchen swung open. Harry walked in, Cedric on his heels. They were both equipped with shoulder gun holsters. Cedric also had an assault rifle strapped over his shoulder. Ginny couldn't take her eyes away from Harry, because he looked _fucking fine_.

"Hey, so we're ready whenever you are." Harry brought over a side holster and pistol for Ginny. "You got the canteens filled?"

"Uh -" Ginny cleared her throat. _Stop being such a git, Weasley! _She gestured to the one Hannah had taken out of her hands. "This is the last one."

"All right." Harry handed her the holster and started filling the bottle. While Ginny donned her newly acquired weapon, Harry spoke to Hannah. "While we're gone, would you mind checking in on Neville?"

Ginny had to force down her laughter as Hannah flushed. "Uh, does he need something for the clinic?"

"Not as of yesterday, but I don't know how long I'll be away." Harry closed the cap to the water canteen and opened up Ginny's rucksack (that she'd just hoisted onto her back), placing it inside. "I would hate for something to happen to him or the patients, wouldn't you?"

"Of course I would."

"Great, so it's settled." Harry's smirk was all too telling. He was clearly proud of himself for his match-making abilities. "Thanks for everything, Hannah. Lead the way, Cedric!"

Ginny gave Hannah a quick hug before following Cedric out of the room. "Good luck."

Hannah gave her back a quick pat. "You too."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I'd meant to tell you, that was rather smooth, Potter." Cedric let out a little laugh as they moved around an abandoned car. They had been walking for what Ginny estimated to be at least five hours. The sun was still high in the sky, but that didn't mean anything. It was close to the summer solstice, so the hours of daylight were longer than ever.

"What was?" Harry frowned at their guide.

"Asking Hannah to check in on Neville."

"You've noticed the looks too?"

"Oh, it's bad." Cedric used his foot to push aside an abandoned helmet. "You even mention his name and she becomes a tomato. They just need to get over themselves."

"Right?" Harry chuckled. "The tension whenever they're in the same room is pretty unbearable for the rest of us."

"I know a few people like that." Cedric sent a smug look to his two companions. Ginny would have loved to wipe that superior expression off his face, but without him, they very well could get lost. She would wait until they reached Lower Assendon.

Harry cleared his throat; Ginny could see the redness on his neck spreading. "How are you and Cho?"

Cedric beamed. "It's great." He lowered his voice. "I think she might be pregnant."

Ginny felt her mouth drop. Why would anyone bring a child into this world? People killing one another for no reason. Disease finding anyone and everyone. Nowhere that truly felt safe.

Harry seemed to be having similar thoughts based on his expression. "Really?"

Cedric nodded. "I know what you're thinking. We are crazy, but -" He stopped suddenly, swinging his rifle off his body and pressing the butt into his shoulder. With his left hand, he gestured for them to crouch.

Harry and Ginny did as they were told, both pulling their firearms out of their holsters. Harry nodded towards an upturned car. They moved slowly, keeping their heads low as they used the vehicle for cover. Cedric and Ginny took position either side of Harry.

"What did you see?" Harry murmured once they had protection.

"In the building on the left, there is a sniper nest on the roof." Cedric reached into his bag and pulled out a mirror that someone might have once used on a bicycle. The bend in the stand allowed him to angle the reflection at the potential nest. "Yeah, and there's a bloke up there, but it looks like he's distracted."

"Distracted by what?" Ginny asked.

"A book, which makes sense seeing as he's atop a book shop."

"Okay, so we just need to find a way around," Harry suggested.

"There is no other road through this part of town." Cedric leaned away from the side of the car. "And they've cleared everything away from the storefront. We'll be sitting ducks if we just walk up the street."

"What about sticking close to the buildings?" Ginny pointed to the store in line with the bookshop. The street was lined with shops that sat right next to one another. "It would be hard for him to see us if we keep close to the wall."

Cedric worried his lower lip. "We don't know if he has buddies inside any of the buildings."

"But it's the least risky option." Harry nodded at Ginny.

"All right, all right," Cedric relented. "We're gonna have to move quickly to get close to the wall. So stay right on my arse."

"No problem there," Ginny muttered. Harry twisted to look at her, his jaw hitting the floor. "What?" Ginny gave him a little shrug. "There is no way you haven't noticed how nice of a bum he has. I mean yours is just as nice, if not better." _Fucking stop talking, Ginny! _

Cedric let out a little huff of air. "Can you flirt later? We've got bigger issues than -"

"Who the fuck left this here?" a voice somewhere off to their right boomed. The sound of metal hitting metal came after.

Cedric put a finger to his lips and angled his mirror from behind the car. He put up four fingers.

Harry nodded, readying his pistol. He moved his lips right next to Ginny's ear. "We're gonna have to take them out. I want you to go for the guy on the roof. Your angle should make it hard for him to see you."

Ginny took in a shaky breath but nodded. He then moved over to Cedric's side and relayed the plan. Harry held up three fingers. He lowered his ring finger, then the middle. When his index fell, they sprang into action. Ginny leaned away from the old Volvo and aimed towards the roof. The sniper was now in a sentry position, his attention focused on the opposite side of the street.

Breathing deeply, she aimed for his head. There wasn't an option for them; it was a kill or be-killed world, and after all she'd risked to get this far, she was _not_ going to be killed. Her index finger squeezed the cold metal and then the recoil hit her. She watched the man's body collapse like a rag doll. In her youth, the concept of watching a man die was an improbable and horrifying notion, but now… Now it was one of the few things that made sense.

Ginny let her body run on instinct. Her sights fell on a tall man in front of an old Tescos. His gun was trained on Cedric's side of the car. Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger again. This time her target fell backward, a scream sounding over the ringing in her ears.

An abnormal quiet always followed gunfire. Abnormal yet comforting. It signified an end to the violence, or at least for a while.

Even though Ginny could hear the man she'd shot screaming at the top of his lungs for his mother, it still seemed muted. She let her other senses take precedent.

She swallowed and a little bit of her hearing came back. The dying man was now easily heard, but so was Harry. Ginny turned in what felt like slow motion to see Harry holding his hands over Cedric's chest. Red stained everywhere. Ginny rushed over on autopilot to see if there was anything she could do, but the moment she looked into Cedric's grey lifeless eyes, she knew there was nothing.

"Harry." She placed a hand on his shoulder; he flinched violently. She looked closer at his shoulder blade and saw the hole in his shirt. "Fuck, Harry!"

"I'm fine." Harry fell away from Cedric, turning his face away from the dead man.

"I'll be the judge of that." Ginny threw her rucksack off her back. "Take off your shirt."

"What?" Harry was in a state of shock, so Ginny did it for him.

This was _not_ the way she had imagined taking Harry's shirt off for the first time. He winced as the fabric ran over his shoulder, but said nothing. With his shoulder free, she could see that the bullet had passed straight through.

"Okay, it looks like you'll be fine." She stretched for her rucksack and pulled out some basic medical supplies. Twisting the cap for the disinfectant, Ginny poured the liquid on Harry's wound. While Harry protested, Ginny took out the cloth they had brought as a bandage and wrapped his shoulder with shaking fingers. "That will have to do."

She looked back over to Cedric. _Fuck he was having a baby and - no Ginny, don't think about it right now._ They needed to get out of there. Anyone in the vicinity could have heard those shots, and there was no telling if it would scare them away or draw them in.

Ginny's body worked in auto-pilot as she turned took Cedric's bag and pulled out the extra supplies he'd packed. "Harry, we should do something with his body."

It took a moment for Harry to get a grip on reality. Ginny watched him blink rapidly for at least thirty seconds before he nodded. He stood on shaky limbs and opened the boot to the car. She watched him rummage for a second before pulling out an emergency blanket, the kind people kept for blizzards. He handed the cover to Ginny before lifting Cedric up in his arms. Slowly, they walked together over into the tea shop that sat beside the bookstore.

Harry lay Cedric in the center of the floor and Ginny spread the blanket over him, covering him from head to foot.

"I'm sorry, mate," Harry whispered into the silence, his face downturned. "I'm _so_ sorry." When his voice cracked, it was the final straw for Ginny. She grabbed Harry's hand, giving it a sharp squeeze. He turned to look at her, his eyes over-bright.

There was nothing for it. Ginny pulled him to her, his nose pressing into her shoulder. She could feel her own tears forming for the man she barely knew. She let herself find comfort in Harry's arms, hoping he was getting the same from her.


	3. We Run From Real Life Thoughts Tonight

**TheDistantDusk, Arnel, and gryffindormischief you guys have been amazing helping to edit these chapters! Thank you so much!**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry glanced over at Ginny out of the corner of his eye. She was staring straight ahead, hyper-focused on their task. After a quick moment of silence for their fallen friend, they had fled the scene, looting their enemies clean of anything useful.

As they walked, Harry's mind kept replaying the scene. He saw Cedric's body jerking as the bullet tore through his chest. He saw the look on his face as he slid down to the ground. Harry's own hands were covered in shining blood. Then… nothing. He had frozen, unable to do more than stare, and Ginny had been the one to guide them away from _everything_.

If Harry was completely honest, he hadn't heard a word she'd said for the first few minutes after the shooting ceased. His brain seemed to have shut down, unable to think about anything other than his dead friend. But when Ginny had moved in close… how was it that she smelled like Molly's little patio garden? They were in the middle of an apocalypse, and there she was, smelling of _fucking _flowers. It was the same scent he'd noticed back in school, the same smell that would follow him into his dreams to that very night . That's what had brought him back to reality, back to the painful real-life thoughts. Without her,fuck... he'd probably still be back in the center of that village. Or dead.

The night was approaching fast as they made their way. By Harry's understanding of the map, they should reach Lower Assendon before darkness completely overran them.

"What's that?" Ginny broke the comfortable silence they'd had for over an hour. She was pointing towards the outline of a tree on a small rise, and yet…

Harry blinked a few times to make sure his eyes weren't misleading him. Dangling from one of the higher branches were two humanoid shadows. They were connected by a thick rope tied around where their necks would be.

"Please don't let it be what I think it is." Ginny's shoulders fell as they moved in closer to the hanging tree.

"Then it's better if I don't speak." Harry took in a deep breath as they stood forty meters away. Without saying a word, they'd each decided to stop."_Fuck_."

"We should cut them down." Ginny reached for the blade clipped to her belt. Harry followed her as she strode up the short incline.

Once they were close enough to see the skin peeling from the woman's cheeks, the first thing Harry thought of was the lack of smell. "They've been here for a while."

Ginny nodded as she stared at the couple. The longer they stood there, the more Harry noticed - but what really caught his attention was their linked hands.

"They wanted to leave the world together," Ginny spoke softly. He turned to see her looking at their hands too. "I'm guessing one of them was ill." She swallowed hard. "I'm worried that Dad sent me away for the same reason."

Harry's heart surged into his throat. The idea that Arthur was going to - "_No."_

His voice was so quiet he could barely hear it. Beside him, he felt Ginny shudder. Without hesitation, Harry took her into his arms, cradling her head to his chest.

She started to shake while Harry held her. He could feel the dampness of her tears on his shirt. "Ginny, I -" _I'm sorry _wasn't enough. It pained him to watch her deal with all of… _this_. This motherfucking shit-show of a world. If he could, he'd have hidden her away from it all.

But that was impossible.

"I just hate that I can't do anything," Ginny said, her voice muffled by his shirt. Harry started rubbing small circles in between her shoulder blades. "Oh, Harry, you and I both know he won't make it. Mum maybe had a few days, and they say -"

Ginny choked back a sob. Harry pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Everyone knows how contagious you are during the last twenty-four hours you're alive with Morsmordre."

She nodded into his chest. "He won't leave her side. The whole _plant_ thing is a lie." Harry's mind whirled back to Arthur's vague promise of a cure, of the mystical plant lying outside the city limits.

"Did he tell you that?"

"No, but if there was a cure, why hasn't news spread? Why aren't people walking around cheering about this Godsend of a cure?"

Harry continued rubbing her back, and to his immense pleasure, her stiff shoulders slowly loosened. Her breathing was also taking on an even rhythm. He knew her question was entirely rhetorical. They both knew the answer.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"We're almost there," Harry told Ginny as they walked down the old one-lane road.

"Do we know who we're meeting?" Ginny asked. Even in the poor light of his torch beam, he could see that her eyes were still red-rimmed from the previous hour. After cutting the dead couple from their post, it had taken some time to move on from the hanging tree. Now the sun had fully set and they were relying on their torches for light.

"Ced -" Harry swallowed hard. "Cedric use to live here with Cho."

"The one who might be -"

Harry flinched. If Cho really was pregnant - _fuck._. He didn't want that guilt on his head. The idea that he'd caused a child to lose their father before even getting to meet him...

Ginny grabbed his hand and pulled him to a complete stop. "Harry, as sad as it is that Cedric died, it wasn't our fault."

"_But -" _

"No!" She slapped her hand down on his chest. Harry saw her face illuminated in the perfect light for telling a scary story; her torch was angled below her chin and shadows danced across her features. "We weren't the ones who shot him, were we? No, it was those bastards! And now they're paying the ultimate price."

Logically, Harry knew she was right. He hadn't killed Cedric, but it sure felt like he had. "If _we_ hadn't -"

"- He could still have walked into an ambush and been captured and tortured in a month's time." Ginny shook her head. "Harry, do you believe in fate?"

"I -" Harry pursed his lips. "I don't know."

Ginny nodded. "Well, _I_ do. I think some things have to happen eventually, no matter how much it hurts. It shapes us into who we are."

"Are you saying Cedric had to die?"

"I don't know about dying, but I do think something was bound to happen. Don't get me wrong." Ginny spread her palms in surrender. "I don't think we should sit back and just let anything happen to us, but I _do_ think there's a general outline that's already in place."

Harry let her philosophy sink in. He had no idea if fate or destiny were real things, but she did have a point about certain events shaping him into the man he'd become. Without his losses and victories, who would he be?

"I -" He took a deep breath. "It still hurts." Harry had never been good at sharing his feelings, something his secondary school girlfriend pointed out all too often. He could never articulate what was going on in his head when it came to emotions.

Ginny, however, didn't seem to care that he couldn't express himself. She gave him a small smile that he almost couldn't see in the poor lighting. "I know." She stood up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "We best keep going."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

In Harry's opinion, Lower Assendon was a horrible place to set up a defense post. The center of the village was a wide open area with what once had been houses and a few local businesses. There was no way to set a wall around the area, or at least not an efficient one. Harry couldn't help but wonder how anyone felt safe in this neighborhood.

Harry and Ginny walked right up to the only building that had any lights shining, the old bed and breakfast.

"I'm gonna knock," Harry told Ginny quietly. "I need you to be behind my back and ready if someone makes a move at me."

Ginny nodded, pulling her gun out of her holster and clicking off the safety. Harry stopped on the stoop, checking to make sure Ginny was ready. At her nod, he knocked. It took fifteen seconds for someone to brush the curtains aside to look at them. Harry could see a mane of dark hair before the window was covered again. Then a dark eye shone through a crack in the door.

"Who is it?" Though Harry hadn't talked to her in years, he recognized Cho Chang.

"Cho, it's Harry Potter." Harry could hear her intake of breath.

"Harry? From Secondary?" Though she sounded more comforted, the door didn't open. "I need you to prove it."

"How?" Harry glanced back at Ginny and saw confusion reflected back at him.

"Tell me something only Harry would know." There was a pause. "Where did you walk in on me and Cedric?"

Harry could feel his face heating. Oh, how he had tried to forget that scene. It had been hard enough for him to hear about the girl he fancied in a committed relationship, but to see it up close and personal had been…

"You were in the cupboard by Snape's old classroom."

From behind him, Ginny let out a derisive snort. "Not the most _romantic _spot," she muttered under her breath. Harry had to hide his smile as Cho swung the door wide.

"Harry!" Cho gave him a hug. Apparently, an apocalypse made people more willing to embrace friends from their past. "How are you? And." She looked over at Ginny. "Fred and George's little sister?"

"Not the title I typically go by," Ginny muttered, but accepted Cho's hug all the same. "How are you, Cho?"

"As good as can be expected." Cho took a quick look behind them. "You best come inside." She gestured them into a small corridor and through an open doorway that led to a moderately-sized sitting room. "How did you know where to find me?"

"We didn't exactly know it was you who was living here." Harry settled on the loveseat and was pleased when Ginny joined him instead of taking one of the overstuffed armchairs.

"Really?" Cho cocked her head to the side. "But then why -"

Harry felt like a shiver go down his spine and his throat tighten. "I -" He took in a deep breath and looked directly at Cho. "Cedric had been leading us here."

"Oh, you've seen Cedric!" Cho beamed. "I'm so glad, I always thought you two would get -" She paused as confusion contorted her pretty face. "Wait… _leading_? He's with you?" Harry's chest started to constrict as she looked around the room as if expecting her boyfriend to be hiding in a corner. Cho met his eyes. "Where is Cedric?"

"He -" Harry couldn't do it. He couldn't tell this woman that the man she loved had died helping him.

Thankfully, Ginny took the lead.

"Cho." Ginny leaned forward and took her hand. Ginny's voice was lower and comforting. "_Cho_," she repeated, "I'm sorry but he - someone shot him."

"_No." _

The one word crushed Harry. Cho looked between him and Ginny as if waiting for one of them to tell her how it was all a joke and Cedric would be coming home with a bouquet of flowers. After a minute, Cho's head fell into her hands as her body shook with sobs.

Ginny rose from her spot to crouch beside Cho and placed a gentle arm over the distraught woman's shoulders, whispering words of comfort. Harry didn't have a clue what to do. He had no idea how to console Cho. As she'd reminded him often enough, he was terrible with emotions.

"How - _Did _-?" Cho tried to ask, but choked on her own words.

"He didn't suffer." Ginny rubbed her hand up and down the length of Cho's arm in a soothing manner. "Cho, he was talking about how much he adored you before - it happened."

Cho sucked in a shuddering breath as she raised her head. Harry could see the trail that her tears had taken down her face. "At least that's something."

"Cho, are -" Harry cut himself off. Even he knew this wasn't the time to ask if she was pregnant. "Will you be all right?"

Cho blinked at him, sending residual tears down her cheeks. "I'll have to be, won't I?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, Cho, you _don't_ have to be okay."

"I - I need to be." Cho rubbed at her dry eyes.

"Is that because of the baby?" Ginny asked gently. Harry had admired how smoothly she'd asked. He never would have managed that.

Cho's neck snapped to look at Ginny. "How - Did Cedric tell you?"

"He mentioned you thought you might be, and that he was excited."

"Yeah." Cho squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before giving Ginny a dejected look. "I missed my monthly and thought… but I got it yesterday. Cedric left to help Hannah two days ago. I didn't get to tell h -"

Ginny pulled Cho tightly into her side when Cho choked on her own words. She turned her attention to Harry. "Wanna go make some tea?"

Harry stared at her feeling like a deer in the headlights, his mind unable to comprehend her words.

"Tea?" He finally parroted, feeling the cogs in his head turn. "Right. I'll make everyone a cup of tea." Harry hastily stood from his seat and exited the den.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry thanked Cho as he closed the door to the room she'd presented. Never had a night dragged so long… Between Cho randomly breaking down into tears and getting his shoulder patched with more official supplies than Ginny'd had earlier, Harry needed sleep. His wound hurt and so did his head.

He moved over to the large bed, surprised at how comfortable it looked. The last three years had been a blur of lumpy mattresses or hard floors, but this - _this_ was paradise.

Right as he was about to pull the covers out from their tucked areas, someone knocked on his door.

"Harry?" Ginny's muffled voice came through the wood. "Can I come in?"

Harry strode over to the door and slowly opened it to reveal a bleary-eyed Ginny. She entered the room and sat on the bed.

"What's up?" Harry unconsciously ran a hand through his hair.

"What's the plan?" Ginny pulled her legs up onto the mattress, sitting criss-cross. The way she was looking at him… there was so much trust and respect in her gaze. It made him feel as if he could conquer anything.

"I saw some old bicycles by one of the houses on the way here." Harry took a seat next to Ginny, leaning his back against the headboard. "We can check to see if there's air in their tires."

Harry could have sworn the smile Ginny gave him lit up the room more than the candle on the nightstand. "Harry, that's a great idea!"

"Thanks." Harry hoped his face wasn't turning red. He would spend all his days coming up with ideas if it meant getting Ginny to look at him like that. "It should cut time to Abingdon in half."

"More than half, I'm guessing." Ginny moved so she sat beside him with her back to the headboard. "God, how has it only been a day? It feels like it's been years."

Harry had to agree. All the shit they'd already dealt with… well, _that_ was enough excitement to last a lifetime, but they would have to go out and do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day.

They stayed quiet for a few minutes, both lost in their own memories and thoughts of what they were going to have to do. Harry didn't even notice when Ginny tilted herself so that her body leaned against his, her head resting on his shoulder.

This was his own Elysium. Just being able to sit there with her, not a worry on his mind. No, Harry couldn't think of anything better than this.

He could hear Ginny's breathing even out. Looking down, Harry saw that her eyes had closed. Harry loved how her mouth parted slightly, amplifying a cute little snore she had.

Gently, he slid her body down the pillows so she lay flat on the mattress. He held up her legs so he could work the blankets from under her. Once he had her completely settled, Harry rose from the bed to ask Cho where Ginny had planned on sleeping, but Ginny's hand reached out, grappling at his side of the mattress as if looking for something. A little frown appeared on her lips.

Without realizing he'd done it, Harry had taken Ginny's outstretched hand in his own. In a vice-like grip, the sleeping redhead pulled his arm towards her, almost snuggling it like a child might a teddy bear. Harry didn't struggle. Instead, he slid himself down to lie level with her.

Harry's heart pounded against his ribs as he looked at his sleeping companion. Clearly, she needed comfort. That was it. And his hand had simply been the nearest thing. The frown on Ginny's lips had flipped into a smile that felt so out of place for what their lives looked like now. How could he deny her solace? Hell, how could he _truly_ deny her anything?

_Not the time or place_, Harry thought, doing his best to clear his mind of her as he closed his eyes.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ginny woke feeling warm. Slowly she opened her eyes - and was instantly greeted by the sight of dark bedhead and a cute nose. Harry slept soundly in front of her, his mouth agape, a little drool hanging out the right side. _Never had drool looked so cute_. She looked down at where their hands were linked.

_Damn, I wouldn't mind waking up like this every morning, _Ginny thought..._though, I certainly wouldn't mind being snuggled up in his arms..._

She thought back to how she'd gotten into Harry's bed. They had been planning, and then the comfortable silence had lulled her to sleep. After such an eventful day, it was no wonder that the moment there was the break she'd needed to fall asleep.

A knock on their door sent Harry into attack mode in the blink of an eye. He went ramrod straight, eyes locked on the door, one arm blocking her and… _where the fuck had he pulled his pistol from?_

"Harry, I can't find Ginny!" Cho's panicked tone filtered through the wooden door. Ginny watched Harry's shoulders slacken as realization registered.

"She's in here with me." Harry's voice was rough, and Ginny thought it was due to more than just sleep. His survival instincts seemed to spread to every part of him.

"She's in there with - _oh_!" Cho's voice shifted from confusion to amusement. "Oh, I'm glad! I'll - um - give you two a few minutes. I have breakfast ready in the kitchen whenever you're - um - _decent_."

Ginny listened to Cho's retreating footsteps, her eyes locked on the back of Harry's head. After a minute, Harry cleared his throat and set his weapon on the side table. When he turned to look at her, his hand unconsciously ran through his bedhead.

"Good to know she's looking out for us." Harry gave her a small smile. "How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty well," Ginny confessed. "Though, I was surprised about _where _I woke up."

Harry, _God bless him_, blushed. "I didn't wanna wake you."

"I appreciate that." Ginny pulled the covers off herself before rising. "Well, best not make Cho wait too long or she's gonna think we're on round two."

Just like Ginny wanted, Harry turned a darker shade of red before muttering. "Right."

Ginny moved around the bed and kissed Harry's cheek. "Thank you, Harry."

"Anytime, Gin."

She retreated to the door, pausing with her hand on the handle to look over her shoulder. "Oh, and, Harry."

"Yeah?"

"Next time, feel free to sleep under the covers with me. I don't bite." With a wink, Ginny left for her designated bedroom, leaving a stunned Harry behind her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So, tell me how long you two have been together?" Cho's voice finally broke through the awkward silence that had surrounded them for the past ten minutes. They were having a simple breakfast of eggs; Cho kept chickens in a fenced-in area of the yard. Not a word had been spoken since Ginny and Harry had sat down.

Why she decided that would be a good ice breaker was beyond Ginny. She was about to deny it, saying she had just fallen asleep talking, when Cho spoke again. "It's nice to see someone find happiness in this fucking twisted world."

Again, Ginny was about to deny it... until she noticed the giant bags under Cho's eyes. Clearly, the woman had cried most of the night. Ginny didn't have the heart to tell her the truth and crush the only thing that had put a smile on Cho's face.

She sent a quick glance to Harry and hoped he'd forgive her. "I agree. It's important to be with the ones we love."

Harry didn't speak, but he did give her a confused look as if he were trying to figure out a complex puzzle. But the joy it seemed to bring Cho made up for Harry's bewilderment.

After they finished their breakfasts in a more comfortable atmosphere, Ginny offered to help Cho clean up while Harry went to check on the bikes across the street.

Ginny took charge of the dishes while Cho cleaned the rest of the kitchen. From her position by the basin, Ginny could look out the kitchen window where Harry was checking the tires of the bicycles. They were simple two-wheeled machines, one in green and the other in red.

"It's so important to be with the one you love." Cho came up behind Ginny, handing her a leftover cup from the table. She nodded her head towards Harry. "There just isn't enough time." The wistfulness of Cho's expression broke Ginny's heart in two.

She looked back out at Harry. Cho had a point. If something were to happen to Harry or herself and Ginny never told him… a shiver ran down her spine. That wasn't something she even wanted to consider. Ginny shifted her focus back to the dishes, but her mind wandered to all the horrible possibilities.

Once Ginny had rinsed the last plate, she dried her hands and headed out into the yard where… _fuck_. What was it about Harry tightening the tire's screws that was so - _fucking_ attractive? Was it the way he put his whole body into his project, or maybe it was the lack of shirt presenting her with a great view of tight middle and dark chest hair...

Either way, _hot damn!_

Harry looked up at her and smiled, which almost sent Ginny to her knees. "Gin, could you see if Cho has an air pump? Only one of the tires needs air."

It took a few seconds for Ginny's brain to reboot after such a crash. She nodded and spun back into the house, her face feeling as if it was on fire. The only thought on her mind was how glad she was that Harry couldn't read minds.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ginny looked around the scenic lane. Long grass rose on either side of the one-car road. She had always loved England for its beautiful sights, and oddly enough, this trip had allowed her to see more of the incredible countryside. In between gunfights, of course.

"So." Harry let out a long breath, his legs pumping at a steady pace to her left. "What did Cho tell you before we left?"

Ginny thought back on their departure from the cozy village. Cho had pulled her aside and handed her a few final items: An extra bottle to fill water into, a simple knife that would be perfect for protection, and some supplies... for the _other_ kind of _protection_.

"Uh - you know so extra water and a nice knife." Ginny didn't think it was prudent to mention the rest of Cho's care package to Harry, at least for now.

"Oh, good!"

And there was the silence again. It wasn't their usual comfortable silence. There was something to it that Ginny couldn't quite place. Every so often, she could see his head turn in her direction. She couldn't help but wonder if his mind kept drifting back to that morning. She wondered if he couldn't stop thinking about how perfect it had felt to wake up with her, just like she thought of him.

Ginny cleared her throat, forcing her mind to move away from her fantasy. They continued to pedal across the countryside, talking in random intervals, helping to ease whatever that tension had been. There was no set subject of discussion as they progressed across the land, no limitations. Ginny's personal favorite topic was who'd had the worst first kiss.

"So, she really just started crying?" Ginny asked for the second time.

Harry grunted. "Look, it wasn't my fault."

"I mean." Ginny sent him a quick smirk. "I've never kissed someone and felt the urge to _cry_, so…"

"She was mad at her ex."

Ginny pressed on the brakes, stopping in the middle of the road next to an abandoned Range Rover. "Wait. What?"

Harry halted his bicycle, his feet skidding on the pavement. He stood from the seat and turned to look at her. "What?"

"What do you mean she was mad her ex, and what does that have to do with her crying while kissing you?"

Harry sighed. He threw his leg over the center bar and hit the bike stand down. "I guess now's a good a time as any to take a break." He moved over to the Range Rover and leaned against it. "So, I was at this party with Ron and this girl comes up to me and like - you know, starts _flirting_ with me."

Ginny followed his example, getting off her bike and leaning her back against the SUV. "How old were you?"

"Um." Harry frowned. "I'd say fifteen. Anyways, apparently her boyfriend had broken up with her and she was hoping to make him jealous."

"With you?"

Harry nodded. "She took me into a corner and you know -" Ginny loved the way he blushed. It was adorable that a grown man was still so awkward talking about kissing someone. He swallowed. "Yeah, and so when her boyfriend didn't come over and knock my lights out, she got upset. She started crying, and yeah." He ended lamely.

Ginny considered her options. She could be sympathetic or tease him a bit. If she knew anything about Harry, he was _not_ the type of guy who wanted sympathy. "So, what you're saying is your moves didn't make her forget about the rest of the world." She clicked her tongue.

It took a few seconds but Harry's lips twitched. "Well, to be fair it was my first kiss. My moves have improved greatly since then."

"Oh?" Ginny quirked a brow at him. "You think you got game?"

Ginny could practically see the cogs in his mind working overtime. Then he gave her a teasing smirk. "I could... show you my game."

Looking back on the scene, Ginny would never be certain about who moved in closer first. Honestly, it could have been mutual. What she _could_ remember was being close enough to see a little dimple on his left cheek that she'd never noticed. She also remembered how the rest of the world had come back into stark reality when an animal growled from the underbrush somewhere to their left.

She and Harry jumped apart, looking at the wild dog. The creature's stance showed it was ready for a fight. Harry looked at her, then back at the beast. "We - we'd best get out of here."

Ginny's heart fell into her stomach, but she nodded. They moved quickly back onto their bicycles and sped away from the little roadside.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Seamus thumped hard on Harry's back. "Great to see ya, mate!"

"You too, Shay." Harry patted his friend's back just as hard. When they separated, Harry turned to Ginny. "Seamus, you remember Ginny?"

"Ron's little sister?"

"Not my preferred title," Ginny muttered for the second time in two days. "But yeah."

Seamus threw his arms around her as well. "Good to see ya too, lass."

"Likewise, Seamus."

After a quick kiss to the cheek, Seamus stepped away from her. "Well, come with me. I'll give ya the tour."

Ginny walked beside Harry as Seamus pointed out how they'd created the town's defenses. As they walked around, Ginny could feel the difference in the atmosphere compared to London. Every person they passed in Abingdon was smiling and talking to each other. In London, everyone kept their heads down, but here they acted… friendly. Then again, that could have just been because it was _London_.

Seamus showed them to a building where everyone gathered for meals. "Tonight's supper is roast beef, so ya came at the right time."

The final stop on their tour was a line of houses all different colors. Ginny would have guessed it had once been a high street. "And this is where I live." He opened the front door to a small hall. "If you two wanna get settled, your room is upstairs. Dinner will be in a few hours. I've gotta go fix the bathhouse. If you get bored, go look for Dean." He winked at Ginny. "I'm sure you remember him."

And with that, Seamus walked right back out the front door.

Ginny blinked rapidly. "Dean's here?"

Harry's eyes took on a cool quality. "Like your last boyfriend. That Dean?"

"I guess so." Ginny shrugged, hefting her bag up her back. "Come on, let's put these away so I can check your shoulder."

"Right." Harry ran a hand through his hair. "_Right."_ He paused. "Wait...did he say _room_?"


	4. When I Watch the World Burn

**The real title of this chapter is ****When I Watch the World Burn, All I Think About is You but that doesn't fit in the space above. ****Huge thanks to TheDistantDusk, Arnel, and gryffindormischief for all their help. This is one of my favorite chapters so far, so please enjoy!**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry knew he shouldn't feel aroused by Ginny examining his wound, but between the feeling of her fingers moving smoothly over his shoulder and his current… _view_—

"Everything looks as good as expected." Ginny leaned away from Harry, her chest rising with each breath she took. Harry forced his eyes to drift away from the _movement_.

"Tha —" Harry cleared his throat. "_That's good_."

Ginny reached over to the bedside table where she had placed the bandage. "How does it feel?"

Harry's was about to give his classic answer of _fine_, but the glare Ginny sent him stopped the word dead in his throat. "It's a little sore," he admitted.

"I thought as much." Ginny gave him a look of approval. "I have some pain meds that should help." She nodded towards the bedside table while she cut a piece of medical tape. Harry grabbed the bottle of pills and his canteen of water.

"So." Harry fished around for a topic, but his mind had only one question he wanted to ask her. "You excited to see Dean?"

Ginny held the bandage in place while lining up the tape. "Hm? Oh." She paused, her tongue sticking out of her teeth as she concentrated. "I guess so."

Harry's heart plummeted into his stomach. "You didn't end on bad terms or anything?"

"Not really." Ginny leaned away to admire her work. "That should hold for a while. Though we should check it again before we leave for Bill's." She turned away and started cleaning up the supplies.

He really didn't want to ask, he knew he _shouldn't_ ask, but his curiosity would kill him if he didn't find out. "What do you mean by _not really_?"

"Oh, we would still talk in the corridors after I broke things off with him." Ginny gave him a sideways glance. "And I broke things off with him because he treated me like some damsel in distress. And I am no damsel."

Harry shook his head. "No, you're not."

Ginny smiled. "You've never treated me like some helpless maiden."

"Because you're not one."

Her grin widened. "That's right, but some blokes…" She shrugged. "On a journey like this, some would become overbearing and try to hide me behind every corner. What I'm trying to say is, thank you."

She shrugged, the picture of nonchalance except for the blazing look in her eyes. It felt as if her gaze was burning him up from the inside out. He was more than willing to combust if it meant she would always look at him like that.

Between _that _look and her slightly parted lips, Harry couldn't stop himself. He leaned up and pressed his lips to hers.

Ginny let out a muffled sound of surprise, but it only took her a second to respond. She positioned herself so she hovered over him. Her arms came up to wrap around his neck, while he moved his to her hips. He pulled her onto his lap, nothing but _her_ filling his mind and senses.

It was a noise downstairs that brought them back to reality. Ginny pulled away from Harry. He could still feel her breath on his face. "What was that?"

Harry shook his head. When he spoke it was as if he hadn't used his voice in twenty years. "I don't know."

As if on cue, Seamus' thick accent called from below. "Oi! Ready for supper?"

Harry let his head fall onto Ginny's shoulder. "Fuck."

Ginny's fingernails started scraping his scalp in the most delightful way. "Come on, we shouldn't keep him waiting." She started to stand, but Harry gripped her hips with cat-like reflexes, holding her still.

"Are —" He looked into her confused eyes. "We should talk about —"

Ginny silenced his ramblings with a swift kiss. "Tonight," she promised.

This time when she moved, Harry allowed her to fully stand. She offered him a hand to help him up off the bed. "I — uh —" Harry hoped his face wasn't as red as it felt. "I'll be there in a minute."

It took Ginny all of two seconds to understand his current predicament. She nodded, a smug smirk on her lips. "I'll tell Seamus you'll be — uh — _down _in a moment."

Before Harry could do more than blink, Ginny pressed her lips to his. When she pulled away, her smile was intoxicating. He couldn't help but watch her leave. The way her hips swayed…

Harry moaned, his head in his hands. _Holy fuck_! He had just kissed Ginny Weasley! Something he'd dreamed of since he was sixteen.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry cut another piece from his slice of roast, his attention only half on his food. Ginny was across from him, talking to Dean. Her ex. He wasn't proud of it, but Harry hated seeing this other bloke make her smile.

_Fuck off_, Harry scolded himself. He had no right to be a jealous git when she was only talking with him. Not to mention he didn't have a claim to her or anything. _Yet —_ after what had just happened up in that small bedroom...

"Oh, I remember!" Ginny laughed at Dean's story. "I still can't believe Sprout fell for that."

"She was a little preoccupied." Dean's smile infuriated Harry almost as much as the fact that Dean's body had shifted closer to Ginny's _again_! "Seamus had just lit his desk on fire."

"Oi!" Seamus leaned around his girlfriend Lavender in order to defend himself. "It wasn't the whole table."

"Yeah, just three out of four of the beakers."

"See, that's not the whole table!"

The table laughed at Seamus' obvious pride. Their group consisted of five people, besides himself and Ginny. Seamus, Dean, Lavender, a woman named Padma, and a quiet man called Dennis.

Harry had to admit the idea of having everyone convene in the town's old church for dinner was great for morale and connection. Looking around the room he only saw content faces. A few of the older men had taken to some instruments and were plucking a merry tune.

"Come on, Shay." Lavender stood from her seat and dragged Seamus up from his position. "Let's dance."

"Of course, m'lady." Seamus winked at the group. "_Footloose_ taught me something about dancing, and what it leads to."

Dean snorted as his friend moved into the centre of the room. Harry saw Dean glance at Ginny before draining his glass and standing. "So, Gin." Dean's voice took on a forced casual tone, his palm reaching out to offer Ginny a hand up. "Care to dance? For old times' sake."

Harry had to stop himself from taking the offered hand and breaking it. Instead, his focus fell to Ginny. To his immense pleasure, she shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, Dean, but I want to finish my food first." She pointed over at Padma. "But I'm sure Padma would love to accompany you."

Padma looked surprised but nodded. "That sounds fun."

Dean's face took on a look of annoyance before shifting to a smile. "Sure! Come on." He held out a hand for her to take.

Harry watched the crowd start to form on the makeshift dance floor. The dancers varied in age and style. There were people just moving to the beat with their partner, while others (Seamus and Lavender) were dancing in a way that left little to the imagination.

Ginny let out a low laugh, turning Harry's attention back on her. Her focus was on Dean and Padma, who awkwardly swayed together. "You know, it may be the apocalypse, but it would take a lot more than that for me to dance with Dean again." She looked at him. "You, on the other hand…"

Without needing another hint, Harry rose from his seat and nodded towards the dancers. "Care to dance?"

She tapped her chin in mock consideration. "Hmm. Let me think..." Ginny let her voice trail off, making Harry rolled his eyes with affection. She laughed while taking his hand. "I'd love to."

Harry really hadn't thought through the fact that he'd _actually _have to dance. He was _not_ a good dancer. At all the school formals, he'd been the bloke standing in the corner of the room, sipping on punch and trying to forget he was there.

The music was a fast-paced jolly tune, and Harry had no idea what he should be doing. His arms felt awkward and lanky. He figured he must look like a baboon.

Ginny laughed. "What do you call that move?"

"Er —"

Ginny mimicked him. "Luna would love this."

Harry nodded, his attention only half on her words. He couldn't keep his eyes off her. She was a masterpiece. She swayed to the music, making her hair flow around her. In Harry's opinion, she would be the best exhibit in the most prestigious museum. Everything about her — Harry couldn't even put it into words.

He didn't notice the change in tempo until Ginny pressed in close and wrapped her arms around his neck. Harry's hands fell to her hips, his fingers grazing the bare skin under her shirt.

Ginny looked at him with a smile. "What are you thinking about? You have this adorable look on your face."

"I —" Why couldn't Harry ever articulate what he was feeling? He wanted to tell her how incredible she looked and how perfect she made everything feel. The world outside of the church was in complete ruins, but right at this moment… none of it mattered, because he was safe in her arms. He would love to tell her that, but instead his tongue tied itself into knots, making him look like a fool. "I — I'm just really happy."

"Me too, Harry." Ginny continued to sway them to the melody. She rested his head on his chest, her ear sitting right over his heart.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ginny walked into the small bedroom, her dirty clothes in her arms. She had changed in the loo a few doors down while Harry had gotten ready for bed in their room. _Their room_. That was still an odd notion. _Their room,_ where they had kissed only a few hours previously. _God_, that kiss had been on Ginny's mind most of the night.

She had wanted to tell Seamus to fuck off when he'd called them for supper. At the time, she thought Harry's lips were the only substance that she needed. But that logic had only lasted a minute. Her brain had come back to her with a stab of hunger.

Then dancing. _Fuck_, she loved dancing with Harry. Being in his arms made her feel as if all the problems in the world didn't exist. There was only him and her. And now it really _was_ just going to be him and her.

Ginny knocked on their closed door. "You decent, Harry?"

She waited for his muffled _yes_ before entering. He was lying on the floor, a pillow under his head and a small throw blanket covering his body.

"What are you doing?" Ginny stopped in the doorway, her free hand naturally going to her hip.

"Er —" Harry sat up, the blanket sliding down and revealing a spray of dark hair across his chest.

Ginny felt her mouth go dry, but she refused to be deterred. "What did I say this morning?" She moved into the room and placed her old clothing on a spindle-legged chair in the corner. Then she walked over to the bed and peeled back both sides of the covers. "There is _no way_ you're sleeping on the floor." She lay down on her side before patting the empty space. "Come on."

It took Harry a few seconds to rise from his makeshift bed. Slowly he moved in beside her, pulling the blankets up over them. Ginny then turned to her bedside table, blowing out the candle to surround them in darkness.

The darkness wasn't the only thing that enveloped them, though. There was an awkward silence that Ginny hated more than she wanted to admit. Harry was there beside her, but he lay like a board, his arms plastered to his side.

"For fuck's sake," Ginny muttered. She turned onto her side and tapped Harry on the arm. "Look at me."

Harry turned. The beam of moonlight coming through the curtains provided Ginny with the information she needed. He looked… nervous. _Ah,_ Ginny thought, _he doesn't know where we stand. _

Ginny took a deep breath. She was done pretending. All she wanted was to fall asleep in his arms. Without any more hesitation, Ginny slid across the gap between them, her head resting in the crook of Harry's neck, a soft mimic of their earlier dance. His heady scent filled her up like a warm drink. "Let's go to sleep, Harry."

After a few seconds, Harry's hand rested on her hip. "Goodnight, Gin." His voice was quiet in the silent room. She felt his lips on her temple. It was a simple gesture, but _fuck,_ it was perfect.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ginny woke slowly, loving the warmth that encompassed her. She didn't want to move in case it ruined her utopia. Ginny could feel Harry's fingers rubbing slow circles on a small patch of exposed skin on her back. It surprised her that he was awake. After the last few days… he _should_ be knocked out cold. Hell, so should she.

She nuzzled her nose into Harry's neck, letting herself become lost to the world. All that her brain cared about at that moment was how perfect she felt in Harry's embrace.

Harry let a sharp breath out his nose, ruffling her hair. His hands pressed more firmly on her skin, shifting from her back to her arm. The feeling of his calloused fingers running up and down her freckled arms sent shivers down Ginny's spine. Without thinking, she pressed a lazy kiss to his neck. When Harry let out a throaty groan, Ginny did it again. And again.

Harry tangled their legs together and Ginny moved her hands up Harry's bare back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She pressed her nails into his shoulder, pulling him towards her. Harry rolled over her. His mouth connected with hers before drifting down her chin, past her neck... Ginny moaned as his hot breath warmed her breasts through her shirt. Gooseflesh erupted on her arms as her senses heightened in the growing darkness.

Harry's fingers began to toy with the hem of her top, pushing it slowly up her stomach. Her breath hitched from the pressure of his hot open-mouthed kisses, ones that were traveling further and further up. His breath came in sharp pants as he lifted her shirt to her breasts.

"Har —" Ginny's voice caught in her throat as his lips teased the underside of her right breast. She exhaled before trying again. "Harry, wait a second." Harry pulled back in an instant, his expression wild. In the faint light, Ginny could see very little green in his eyes, having been overtaken by his dark pupils.

"Gin?" Harry's rough tone only fuelled her. She rolled off the bed, moving swiftly to her rucksack. With numb fingers, she sifted through her minimal belongings. _Finally,_ she found the box she was looking for.

"Ginny?" Harry spoke again, sounding no more in control than before. He was sitting up, his legs over the side of the mattress.

Ginny reached the bed, putting the box of condoms beside Harry. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her weight into his side. Her lips reconnected with his as if they'd never parted, and Ginny pressed Harry onto his back.

Harry's fingers went back to the hem of her shirt, which had fallen back down to cover her torso. "Is this — " Ginny saw his Adam's Apple bob. "Are you _sure_?"

There wasn't a second of hesitation. "_Fuck yes._"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The next time Ginny woke, it wasn't an easy rise. The sound of screaming and — Ginny's tired mind had a hard time placing the noise at first, but she soon realized it was the crackling of flames. Ginny jumped from under the covers, the summer night air hitting her naked body with ferocity. Without pause, she grabbed the nearest article of clothing on the floor. Harry's shirt came halfway down her thigh as she hustled over to the parted curtain.

Though the noises had given her an inkling of what she was about to see, they truly hadn't prepared her. The cute little town she had toured was on fire: Buildings, abandoned cars, and people were all engulfed in flames outside her window. Bodies were lying on the ground, flesh burning. It was then that her sense of smell returned. Searing skin was not something that settled well. She closed the window quickly, hoping to cut off the odor.

Harry was stirring when she turned around. On a normal night, Ginny would have crawled back under the covers, run her fingers through his messy bedhead, and kissed his chapped lips. But this was not the time. Maybe someday they'd get there, nights where the comfort of each other's arms wasn't a stolen luxury.

"Harry, we need to go!" Ginny searched for her previously discarded jeans.

Harry blinked for a few seconds, a confused look on his face. When he spoke his voice was rough with sleep. "Why?"

Apparently, Harry slept like the dead after — _vigorous activities_.

Ginny found her worn blouse under the bed. She pulled Harry's tee shirt over her head and threw it at him. "I don't know what _it_ is, but it's not good."

Harry took her advice and started moving. When he rose from the bed, his face drained of color, his attention drawn to the window. The flames had started to create shadow puppets through the curtains. Ginny watched the wave-like motion on the far wall.

"What the fuck?" Harry muttered, zipping his jeans with clumsy fingers.

"That's the question." Ginny grabbed their rucksacks and threw Harry his. "And we're gonna go find out."

Harry shook his head. "If this is a raid, I need to get you out of here."

Ginny could actually feel her jaw drop. "What? No!" She pointed at the window behind her. "We need to go and help!"

In an instant, Harry was in front of her, his hands lightly gripping at her upper arms.

"I _need_ to get you out of here." His eyes flickered from the brightness outside, but it wasn't just the fire giving his gaze its intensity. "We'll help everyone on the way, but Gin..." His voice, which had been rough with sleep beforehand, took on a new severity. He seemed unable to complete his thought, his throat working rapidly.

"What?" Ginny didn't understand why Harry would just want to leave. These people deserved help. Before she could open her mouth to ask what was going on his head, Harry's lips had taken hers. The possessiveness in his kiss startled her. The way he held her jaw in his hands made her feel like she was his world. Nothing else mattered to him.

When Harry took his lips away from her, his forehead came to rest on hers. She didn't open her eyes, unable to face the potential magnitude of his gaze. If it was anywhere near the ferocity she had felt in his kiss…

A thud from outside the bedroom door pulled their situation back into sharp focus. Harry breathed in deeply before backing fully away and swinging his rucksack over his shoulder. "We best go find out what that was."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

What 'it' turned out to be was Seamus coming home from his evening out, except rather than a night out drinking with his mates and woman he'd come off worse in a knife fight. Ginny could see the red trail down the wall where Seamus had slumped to the floor.

Seamus' lips trembled as Ginny crouched in front of him. Blood was trickling from his mouth. She placed a hand over the dark red stain on his stomach. Seamus let out a pitiful cough. "You —" he swallowed hard. "You two need to get out."

"We need to bandage your wound," Ginny argued. She looked around at Harry, the demand for first aid supplies dying on her tongue as he emerged from the nearby loo with gauze wrap and medical tape.

"It's the best we have." Harry knelt beside her. He scooted her hands out of the way and lifted Seamus' shirt. Ginny nearly vomited at the sight. Seamus' pale Irish tone had been repainted red.

"There is no point." Seamus batted Harry's help away. "I won't." He coughed again, this time blood coming out of his lungs. "I'm not gonna make it."

"Shay." Harry looked like a kicked dog.

Seamus shook his head once, his eyes fluttering closed. "There is a car in Ma's garage. Key under the passenger side mat." He slumped further down the wall. His breathing became more labored. "Go."

It didn't feel right. Ginny wanted to help him, she needed to at least try. She looked at Harry and saw her own hesitation reflected back at her.

"Shay," Harry said again, his hand coming up to grip the dying man's shoulder.

Seamus slowly opened one eye. "_Go_."

Ginny knew it was up to her to make them leave. Harry would never be able to leave his friend in this state without helping. She used her clean hand to turn Harry's cheek. His green eyes were filled with turmoil. All Ginny wanted to do was hold him close and never let go. This man had been through so much, and there didn't seem to be any end in sight.

She didn't speak, but Harry clenched his jaw before nodding. He rose and took Ginny's hand. As they walked down the stairs, Ginny swore she heard Seamus let out a deep sigh before the corridor went silent.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry looked around the corner of the old shop wall. They had been treading across the compound, each with a gun in hand. The air was filled with smoke, making visibility low. Add that to the overwhelming sounds of pained screams and Ginny might as well have been deaf and blind.

She could feel Harry's presence more than see it. Though the atmosphere was already hot, Ginny swore that Harry's body next to her warmed her another five degrees. "Okay, we're gonna make a break for the building across the street. You ready?"

The real question was if she would _ever _be ready? "Yeah."

Harry nodded once, which gave him a distorted look in the clouded air. "Okay. Follow my lead." He turned back to check if the coast was clear a final time, then he took off at a jog. Ginny was hot on his heels. In the middle of the once populated high street, a Jaguar XJ burned.

They reached the other side, swiftly ducking into an empty alley.

"Where did Seamus' mum live?" Ginny asked.

"Should be the next street over." Harry paused at the end of the lane, again peering around a building's wall to see the road view. "We've got three — no four figures."

"Figures?" Ginny pressed herself into Harry's back, lowering her voice. _That wasn't vague at all_. "Friendly figures?"

"Doesn't look it." Harry pulled his entire body back behind the wall. He spun around, his face now incredibly close to hers. "They are right in front of Seamus' mother's house."

Ginny let out a groan, stifling it in Harry's chest. "Of course they are." His hand came to rub her back lightly. "What's the plan?"

Harry's hand stilled for a millisecond before resuming its comforting motion. "I don't want to risk shooting them. The sound might attract more people and not to mention a lack of visibility… I hate shooting in the dark."

She lifted her head. "So, let's try to sneak by them."

He mulled her idea over for a second. "If we stay low to the ground they will be less likely to see us." He licked his lips and Ginny's eyes followed the motion. Her mind drifted back to only a few hours before. What those lips had been doing to her… and that tongue. _Not the fucking time, Ginny_!

Ginny took a deep breath, hoping the oxygen (no matter how poor it was) would bring her back to reality. "We stay low to the ground and if we have to, knock a few heads in."

Harry let out a low laugh. "Alright, we'll go with your plan. But you have to follow my lead, got it?"

"If it will make you happy."

Harry's unchaste smirk had no place in their situation. No, that was the way he had looked right before his head had disappeared between — _For fuck's sake, Ginny! Get your mind out of the gutter. _

At this rate, she was going to be shot because she couldn't keep her thoughts out of her knickers.

"I wouldn't say it makes me _happy_." Harry didn't seem to notice impure war raging in her mind as he spoke. "But _c'est la vie._" He shrugged one shoulder. Then before Ginny could do more than question why he'd spoken French, his warmth enclosed her, his lips covering hers with urgency.

As quickly as his welcomed intrusion to her personal space had started, it ended. Harry still had that _dirty_ grin on his face. "That's what makes me happy." Then in the blink of an eye, he turned back to the task at hand. "Alright, they all have their backs to us. Let's go now."

Ginny did as he said, practically stepping on his heels, as they dashed across the open street. She never took her eyes off the shadows. The closer they got to the other side of the road, the clearer the figures became. All men, if their bulk was anything to go by. And now Ginny could see a prone figure… an _unmoving_ prone figure.

The men's voices were now carrying over the sound of flames and crying victims.

"I can't believe you killed her." One of the men (if you could call monsters like them that) had a raspy voice. "We could have taken her back with us. Can't remember the last time we had something to _play_ with back on base."

"She was trying to escape!" This time a deep voice spoke. "Our orders were to kill everyone."

"He wouldn't know about _one_ girl, now would he?"

Ginny suppressed a shudder at the meaning of their words. This was the world they lived in, where people thought they should be able to take whatever they wanted, no matter whose rights were violated.

As he took a high step in order to get over the curb, Harry pointed towards one of the houses that lined the street. They moved past the wide-open front door and Harry guided them into a small study off of the main corridor, shutting the door behind them.

Harry let out a long slow breath. Ginny could only see his outline, the closed window blinds letting in little of the light from the inferno outside. "_Fuck_."

Ginny nodded. "You could say that. Which house was it again?"

"The one adjacent to this one."

"Right." Ginny moved slowly to the closed door and placed her ear against the wood. No sounds. No footsteps or voices. She turned the knob slowly, praying the door wouldn't creak and alert any unknown enemies.

"_Gin!_" Harry's voice was quiet but sharp. She turned her head, putting a finger to her lips to shush him, her eyes locked onto his. The was a beat; no noise was heard from inside the small room, but many things were said.

It was a brief but telling conversation... one where Ginny asked for trust and Harry, who had always had a hard time relying on others, fell into place. When he nodded, the desire to kiss him, to close the door and _show _him how much it meant to her that he trusted her, almost outweighed everything else.

_Almost_.

After a second beat, Ginny was able to draw herself back to the task at hand. She stuck her head out the crack between the door jamb and door. Looking left, Ginny could see the open front entry. To the right was a dark doorway. Dark, but not so dark it seemed like an abyss.

Ginny turned back to look at Harry. She could sense his intense look more than see it. It made her shudder but in a completely different way from before. She leaned in close, keeping her tone low. "Follow me."

Without waiting for a response, she sidestepped out of the small opening and headed further into the house. The doorway led them into a surprisingly well-kept kitchen. Ginny could tell it was well kept because of the small window over the sink that let in the moonlight. She walked over to it and looked out onto an overgrown garden. A garden tended to mean… She looked into the far corner and saw a door just past the edge of the counter.

"Harry, we can—" Ginny stopped mid sentence, her mind going blank as she turned to the sight of Harry being held still by a knife on his throat.

"Now who might _you _be?" The man's voice made a shiver run down Ginny's spine. "A pretty girl shouldn't be out alone in these trying times. You never know who might — sneak up on you."

Harry's body jerked as the man dug the blade further into Harry's skin.

Ginny didn't know what to do. If she reached for her own blade or gun he would slice Harry's throat. Harry was staring at her and by the light of the window, she was able to understand his message. _Run_.

She shook her head once, her mind searching for any way out of this. A distraction. _Yes_, that was her best bet.

Ginny forced her shoulders to relax and tilted her head slightly to the right. She fluttered her eyelashes. "You're _so _right."

On a normal day, the cartoon-like way Harry's jaw dropped would have made her laugh, but now wasn't the time or place. She kept her attention on the man, watching for any sign of weakness.

Ginny took a step forward, taking it as a good sign that knife didn't dig further into Harry's throat. She moved in close enough to smell the bandit's putrid body odour. Ginny forced her tone to become sultry. "I mean you would never get caught, a big man like you."

She had to swallow down the bile that rose in her throat as the man leered at her. "You've got that right, _darlin'._"

Refusing to let her gag reflex get the best of her, Ginny ran a hand up their assailant's arm as she circled around him. She let the pads of her fingers trail across his shoulder blades. When she reached his other side, Ginny teased her lips next to his ear. "I don't doubt it."

The instant his hold on Harry lessened, Ginny pounced. She knocked the blade away, making it skitter across the floor. At the same time, she used all her strength to push his nose up into an awkward angle. The feeling of breaking bones against her hand had never been a satisfying feeling until that very moment.

"_Fuck_!" Ginny ignored the man's cry, more focused on Harry, who had taken his cue to move without hesitation. Before the attacker knew what had happened, Harry's elbow had collided with his temple. The man crumpled like a ragdoll.

Ginny picked up the blade, which had landed off to her left. When she stood back up she saw Harry feeling at the skin near his throat. "Are you okay, Harry?"

Harry's hand fell to his side as he looked at her with that piercing stare again. "Thanks to you I am. Gin, You were —" he swallowed, "You were amazing."

"Thanks," Ginny smirked at their victim. "I can't believe he fell for that… I have a type, and he's _not _it."

Harry let out a low laugh. "I sure hope not, seeing as I look — and smell — nothing like him." He glared at the man. "What should we do with him?"

Ginny considered their options. They could kill him. It would be as easy as one flick of the wrist with a blade in hand, but…

"We should just leave." Ginny pointed at the back door she'd noticed before. "My guess is that if this house has a little garden —"

"Seamus' mother's place might have one too." Harry nodded. "The garage might even be in the back."

Ginny started to move towards the backdoor. "That's what I'm thinking too. So lets —" For the second time, Harry was the cause of her dropped off sentence. This time, though, it was due to his lips covering hers. The way his hands pressed her close to him… Ginny forgot about everything. The fact that the world around them was burning came second to the feeling of his hands skimming down her side to her hips.

Before she could melt into him, Harry pulled back just enough so his forehead rested on hers. "Gin, we never got to talk about — _everything_. But I just need you to know, it wasn't — it wasn't one of those 'end of the world things' for me. You know what I mean?"

A lump formed in Ginny's throat. She hadn't needed to hear those words from him, she had known it was more than just one of those 'let's shag to shag' situations. Between his touch and the way he'd looked at her before, _during_, and after, Ginny had known what it had meant to _both _of them. But to hear him say it…

Ginny nuzzled her nose to his before pressing her lips back to his. "I do. And ditto, Harry. Ditto."

The relieved breath Harry released made her want to kiss him again, but she knew it would become too addictive and then they'd never the little house. With a great effort, Ginny pulled away from Harry but took his hand as she made for the door again.

"Let's get out of here."


	5. Hiding from the Real World

**TheDistantDusk, Arnel, and gryffindormischief have been awesome in editing this chapter. I'm sorry in advance (You'll figure out why). **

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Harry wanted to smack his forehead against the steering wheel as the synthesized strings started up for the tenth time. He had nothing against Rick Astley- actually, he found the song fun the first time it played. Everything had still been fine the third playback. On the fifth playback, he had taken the CD out of the player to check for scratches. Not a single one. No, the disk wasn't skipping back to the same song, it was an entire playlist of _Never Gonna Give You Up_.

The obvious fix would have been to skip the cursed track until something new came on, but of course, the old beater car's radio wasn't completely intact. The damn skip button was missing. So then he'd thought, why not just turn off the radio… but alas, the knob wouldn't move or push in. In other words, Harry was stuck in a constant state of being _Rick-Rolled_.

When he had found the old disk in the glove compartment, he'd been thrilled to not be driving in permanent quiet. Now he was debating returning to the heavy silence. The only thing that was holding him back was the fear of being lost to his own thoughts again.

The first hour had been burdened with thoughts of everything that had gone wrong. Molly getting sick, Cedric being shot, Seamus…

_Nope_! Harry focused on the music again.

_We've known each other for so long_

_Your heart's been aching but you're too shy to say it_

_Inside we both know what's been going on_

_We know the game and we're gonna play it_

The more he listened to Rick's baritone lyrics the more he related to them. But maybe that was just because he needed to find some reason not to lose his mind. Or perhaps _this _was him losing it.

Harry glanced in the rear-view mirror. Ginny slept soundly, splayed across the entire backseat. He'd told Ginny to try and get some sleep while they had the chance. After all the shite they'd been through… Harry personally thought he could sleep for a week and he figured she'd feel the same.

He hadn't been wrong. At first, Ginny had protested, but minutes after letting her head rest on the old seat she had started to snore lightly. Now her mouth was completely agape and a little pool of drool had formed. Harry didn't care that her clothes were covered in grime and blood: She was the epitome of beauty. Without her… Harry couldn't even fathom. She was his own personal angel.

There was a moment of silence before the rhythmic drums started again. _Play number thirteen_. He flicked on the windshield wipers as a light rain started to come down.

_I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling_

_Gotta make you understand_

Harry glanced back at Ginny. There was so much he wanted to tell her. Harry had tried after that plonker had attacked him, but the worlds just hadn't come out as he'd wanted. Ginny had understood what he'd meant of course, as she always seemed to be able to. But there had been so much more. There still _was_ so much more.

Love wasn't exactly a constant in Harry's life. He'd grown up without any real affection from his aunt and uncle, who'd resented having to raise him after his parents were killed in a car crash. It wasn't until he'd become friends with Ron that Harry started to understand what it meant to care for someone. When Ron's parents had all but legally adopted him, Harry had finally learned what it meant to have a parent's love.

But Ginny… even at that age of sixteen, it had been a different feeling. Ron and all his brothers had become Harry's brothers, but Ginny - she had never been a sister to him, much as he'd tried to convince himself to the contrary. She had always been more.

And now it was clear to him why: He was in love with her. Absolutely and incorrigibly mad for her. Harry knew now wasn't the time for big confessions of love or romantic gestures. The world was in chaos with no sign of normalcy ever returning.

_But fuck it all!_ The only thing Harry cared about was Ginny. The world was a burning fucking mess and all he thought about was her.

While that blade had been pressed into his throat, his only thought was of her protection. There had been no thoughts towards his own safety apart from staying alive long enough to keep _her _alive. Every cell in his body screamed at him to find a way to get her out of there.

An old van lay sideways across the two-lane road, forcing Harry to drive half on the pavement and half on the dirt. Their car dipped with the lower terrain, jostling the occupants with the roughness of the road.

When he remounted the pavement, Harry heard a little groan from the back seat. Glancing back, Ginny was sitting up, one hand rubbing at a still-closed eye. Harry was lucky that the road was clear at that moment because he couldn't take his eyes off Ginny as she stretched and yawned. The way her chest rose with her deep breath and her shirt rode up her abdomen as her arms went over her head… Yeah, it was a _really _good thing the road was empty and straight.

The song faded out as his eyes met hers in the rear view.

Ginny sent him a lazy smile that sent his pulse into overdrive. It took all his willpower to keep his hands on the wheel rather than cup her jaw.

_Every now and then I get a little bit lonely_

_And you're never coming 'round_

_(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit tired_

_Of listening to the sound of my tears_

It took Harry a second to register the change of song. His eyes snapped to the radio, trying to figure out if he had finally lost his marbles.

"Bonnie Tyler?" Ginny had leaned forward onto the middle console. Her fingers had landed on his shoulder, playing with a hole in the fabric. Harry felt goose pimples every time her skin touched his.

"Uh -" Harry swallowed hard, trying to regain the power of speech. "I guess so."

"Not a bad choice." Ginny let out a small laugh. "Here, can you move your hand?"

"Huh?"

"Can you move your hand so I can climb into the front?" Ginny poked his hand that had been resting across the middle console. "I don't wanna crush your fingers."

"Right." Harry put both hands on the wheel, keeping his eyes on the road as Ginny climbed into the seat beside him.

"So," Ginny drawled once she'd settled. "How long was I out?"

"An hour and a half at max."

"_Fuck_, Harry!" Ginny's angry tone made him jerk sideways to look at her. She was glaring at him, her brown eyes narrowed. Should he find that so hot? "You were supposed to wake me after an hour so I could take a turn driving."

She wasn't had agreed an hour of sleep each. But every time Harry had thought of waking her he just remembered how tired she'd looked. He shrugged a shoulder. "I was fine."

"Harry." Now she sounded more tired than before. "What did I say before we left my parents' house?"

Harry thought back to Weasleys' sitting room. It felt like it had been years since that night. So much had happened since then.

Ginny didn't wait for him to respond. "I said no bollocks! We need to be honest with each other. And you, sir, just lied to me."

"What do you -"

"You're _not_ fine." Her fingers glided along his throat where a knife had been only hours beforehand. "You've been shot and had a knife on you all in less than two days. Not to mention gotten little sleep -"

"Hey now." Harry finally took a turn cutting her off. He met her intense gaze. "I'm extremely _satisfied _with my lack of sleep last night."

Just like he'd intended, Ginny's lips quirked upwards. "You and me both." Their eyes stayed locked. _Fuck_, if Harry hadn't been driving… As it was, he hadn't looked at the road in _way _too long. Begrudgingly, Harry turned his attention back to the dreary path.

When Ginny's hand came over and took his free hand, lacing their fingers and squeezing his palm, Harry's breath hitched. A memory from earlier that day washed over him: His hands in hers, clasped tightly together as he held them above her head… his ears filled with the sound of her sighs. He licked his lips as if he could still taste her skin.

"You need some rest, Harry." Ginny's quiet voice pulled him back to reality. "Please pull over."

"I'm -"

"_Please_, Harry."

The _please_ is what did it. He slowed to a stop, shifting gears so the car was parked.

"Thank you." Ginny released his hand, and before he could bemoan the loss of her touch, her hand turned his cheek so he was looking at her. She leaned across the console and pressed her lips to his. It wasn't a kiss of unbridled passion, but it made his toes curl all the same.

When she pulled away, Ginny's lips were twisted in a content smile. "Now, get back there and get some sleep."

Harry did as he was told, crawling over the console (bumping his knee painfully as he did so). He lay across the back seat, as Ginny had done, curling his legs because they were too long to fully stretched out.

He closed his eyes and instantly started drifting off. Before he was completely unconscious to the world, he heard the start to Rick Astley's hit song and Ginny's muttered comment about how much she enjoyed the oldie.

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"Harry." Ginny's soothing voice matched the hand running on along his back. Harry didn't want to open his eyes if it took him away from the perfect dream. "Harry, come on."

The hand stopped, and Harry opened his eyes to a smiling Ginny. "It raining too hard to see."

Harry sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "What?" It took him a few seconds to register the pounding of rain on the metal roof. After another few seconds (and adjustment of glasses) he noticed the downpour on the windscreen.

Ginny was sitting up in the driver's seat, her body turned towards him. "I found this little cottage off the main road. I think we should head in there and get some real rest."

"How -" Harry yawned. "How long did I sleep for?"

"About twenty minutes." Ginny gave him a sympathetic look. "Didn't even get your allotted hour."

"Better than nothing." He yawned one more time, this time stretching his stiff limbs. "So we gonna make a break for this cottage?"

Ginny laughed. "Yeah, it's about six meters in front of us."

Harry picked up their rucksacks from the backseat floor space. "All right, lead the way, m'lady."

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Harry watched Ginny spread the blanket across the lumpy mattress. The old cottage wasn't the best accommodations in the world, but it was better than nothing. It had most of its roof (despite a small hole in the left-hand corner) and there was a bed (albeit a cheap one), but Harry wasn't gonna complain.

"That should do." Ginny patted the freshly made covers they'd found in a cabinet before peeling back the top blanket and crawling in. "I'm ready to sleep for a year."

"You and me both." Harry hesitated for a second before sliding beside her.

Ginny shivered while pulling the blanket up to her ears. "I hate waiting for the blankets to warm up," she complained, her voice muffled.

Harry moved closer to her. "With the two of us, it shouldn't take too long."

"Hmm." Ginny looked at him, her brown eyes alight with something he hadn't seen in a long time…

"What are you—" Harry let out a little laugh as she pulled the blankets up over her head. "Gin?"

"It's warmer like this."

"How can that be true?"

"It is!" Ginny's head reappeared as she tugged the blanket off her head. "Come on, it's cozy down there." She grabbed his arm and tugged him lower onto the mattress before throwing the cover over both their heads. She draped the end over the headboard, creating a little tent.

"See, cozy." Ginny smiled at him. It was an easy and comfortable gesture, but it sent Harry's pulse into double-time.

Ginny didn't have any idea what she did to him. How could one woman drive him mad with one look? But it wasn't just one look, now was it? It was everything about her. Body, mind, soul. He couldn't get enough of her.

"Did you notice that the CD in the car only played _Never Gonna Give You Up_?" Ginny asked, starting Harry from his own daydream of tasting that bit of exposed skin on her collarbone.

"Huh? Oh, yeah!" Harry rolled his eyes. "If I'd wanted to get Rick-Rolled I would have asked. That damn chorus is still stuck in my head."

Ginny smirked at him. "Oh, you mean this chorus?" She started humming the repetitive song with enthusiasm.

"No! Come on." Harry gently pushed her head into the blanket wall.

"Right!" Ginny came back from her shunning with a grin. "You want to get rid of that song. I think I can fix that." She got onto her knees, her head skimming the top of the make-shift tent, and turned to face him before starting to sing.

_I've been dancing on top of cars and stumbling out of bars_

_I follow you through the dark, can't get enough_

_You're the medicine and the pain, the tattoo inside my brain_

_And, baby, you know it's obvious_

_I'm a sucker for you_

_You say the word and I'll go anywhere blindly_

Harry watched her clap in time with the beat. His grin spread as he remembered her doing the same thing when they'd been dancing to it at Abingdon.

_I'm a sucker for you, yeah_

Ginny pointed at him, a coy smirk on her lips as she continued her number.

_Any road you take, you know that you'll find me_

_I'm a sucker for all the subliminal things_

_No one knows about you (about you) about you (about you)_

Ginny winked at him. "I like to think I'm the only one who knows about your _original _dance moves."

It took Harry a moment to come back to his senses; his attention had drifted to a body part of hers that moved oh so tantalizingly with her swaying. "Huh? Oh, shut up."

Ginny laughed and brought her lithe form closer to him. The space under the covers had already warmed his skin, but with her so close, Harry was worried about combusting. Her lips ran up his jaw, never quite touching him. When she reached his ear, her breath set his body on fire. "_Make me_."

Harry let out a growl from deep in his throat as he pressed himself to her, pushing her into the mattress. His lips caressed every inch of skin they could find. Her cheek, jaw, down the length of her neck. Ginny's moan only egged him on.

When he reached a point near her collarbone, her shirt became a nuisance real fast. He moved the collar away with his nose and reattached his lips to her skin.

Ginny arched into him, another moan falling from her lips. Harry's hands had a mind of their own as they reached for the hem of her oversized shirt (which had once belonged to one of her brothers), before lifting it over her head. His own shirt quickly followed. She let out a shaky breath as his mouth went back to his recently deserted spot of skin. "I didn't realize you hated my singing _that _much."

Harry nuzzled his nose down the center of her chest, his power of thought long gone. "I don't hate it," he murmured into her warm skin. "But it's not in the top ten things I love about you, that's for sure."

Ginny stiffened under him for half a second, before her fingers threaded through his hair. She used her grip on him to pull his face back to eye level. "What did you just say?"

"Uh -" To be completely honest, Harry couldn't remember anything before Ginny's shirt had been removed. He felt like a deer caught in the headlights as she studied him.

Ginny watched him for a moment, her lips twisting into a smug smirk. "Think about it, Harry…" He did, he _really _tried, but his mind had gone blank under her blazing scrutiny. She let out a low throaty laugh that seemed to course through his body. "_All right_, take your time. I'll find some way to _entertain _myself."

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and before he knew what had happened Ginny had flipped them, her lips traveling over his body. First his neck, then down his chest… When her fingers threaded through the hair by his navel before sliding down to tease the waistband of his pajama trousers, Harry didn't know if he would ever be able to form conscious thought again.

It was then when he thought all possibly of introspection impossible that Harry remembered what he'd just said. _Love_. He'd said he'd loved her. In a roundabout way, sure, but he'd told Ginny he loved her. "Well…" He swallowed hard. "I can't lie. I —I'm in love with a lot of things you do, Gin."

He hated himself for stuttering, but _fuck _this wasn't an easy thing to say. At least not for him. Ginny's body moved up his, bare skin connecting in a glorious fashion. When she was eye level with him, Harry's heart raced even faster. Ginny was positively beaming at him.

She kissed him, her tongue teasing his bottom lip before pulling away. "Don't worry, Harry. I understand." Her lips pressed against his for another tantalizingly short period of time. "Your dancing isn't in the top ten things I love about you."

Harry's breath hitched, once his mind _finally_ registered what her words meant. "You —Your?"

Ginny let out the alluringly rich laugh again. "How about I give you an _example_ of one of my top favorite things about you?" Her lips pressed to his briefly before moving down his body. Every place she touched burned like a wildfire, out of control and intense.

It took everything Harry had, but he refused to let her always win their cheeky banter. "I have always been a _visual _learner."

Ginny stopped her descent, her dark eyes meeting his. "Trust me, this is a lesson you'll never forget." Her fingers gripped the waistband of his trousers, this time with conviction, pulling down with deliberate slowness.

"_Gin_." Harry couldn't stop his voice from coming out in a desperate groan.

Ginny winked at him. "Don't worry, the _presentation _is about to begin."

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_Fuck_! That was the only thing Harry's brain could manage to think. A sharp throbbing coursed through his head. He lifted his eyelashes an inch—which was all his body capable of handling. The first thing that he noticed was the light. Natural light poured through the windows. Next was that he was still in the little cabin Ginny had found. He recognized the ugly crooked painting from the sitting room.

He shifted himself and found his arms constrained. Harry pulled at his wrists, testing his mobility. The feeling of rope pulling his skin burned.

Harry fully opened his eyes.

He twisted his upper torso to look around his back. Someone had tied him to one of the support beams that sat in all the corners of the room.

_The fuck?_ Harry looked around the small living area. Nothing was out of place from what he'd notice before he and Ginny —

_Ginny_!

How could he have forgotten about Ginny? His eyes flew around the room, looking for any hint of red. It took only seconds for him to find her, having been tuned into her presence for years. She was tied as well, her hands close to an old fashioned radiator. A cloth was tied over her mouth, acting as a make-shift gag. And to make matters oh so much worse, she was stark naked.

Harry strained against his bonds. They could do whatever wanted to him, but not _Ginny_! As he made to open his mouth to call out to her, Harry felt the pain in his jaw. His mouth was already wide open and apparently had been for quite a while based on the tightness he felt. He moved his tongue slowly, feeling the roughness of poor fabric.

_So they gagged me too_, Harry thought. He had no idea what was going on. The last thing he remembered was falling asleep after their _lesson_. They had laid next to one another, Ginny snuggled into his side with her head resting on his chest until sleep had overcome him.

_Fuck_!

Never let everyone sleep at the same time! It was survival 101. Have one man stay up and watch for sneak attacks, like this must have been. If Harry was connecting the fragmented clues correctly, he'd say that whoever tied them up had also hit him rather hard on the head.

Harry only had himself to blame. He should have stayed awake, but when Ginny had turned them so she was spooning him… there had been nothing running through his sated mind other than how perfect Ginny's warmth was.

A slamming noise drew Harry's attention away from Ginny. He forced his body to slacken and his eyes shut to slits. Harry wanted any advantage he could get and letting them think he was still out cold was the best he had.

A large man walked through the open loo door. His nose was scrunched in annoyance, while his lips moved rapidly. "Making me check the toilets. Fuck him." The man moved in closer, his small beady eyes directed at Ginny. "At least I get to have a good view now."

It took all of Harry's willpower to not try and jump the man. His blood boiled at the mere thought of his fucker's eyes anywhere near Ginny, nude or not.

That's when he saw it, Ginny's nose twitch. She wasn't knocked out, as he'd assumed. Looking closer he saw her hands clenched into a tight fist. Every other part of her demeanor gave the appearance she was asleep. The slack shoulders and deep breathing through her nose. No, if Harry hadn't been so adept at Ginny watching he never would have guessed.

"Still sleepin', huh?" The brute had gotten in close. Bile rose in Harry's throat as the man brushed his fingers along Ginny's cheek. "Haven't _been _with something as good lookin' as you in a while."

Harry snapped. He didn't care about how many other captors there might be, or how he couldn't even break from his bonds. No, all that mattered was tearing this man limb from limb.

Before he could hulk out of his rope another voice spoke from inside the bedroom. "Oi, Goyle, come give us a hand in 'ere!"

The fucker, apparently named Goyle, turned towards his name, his fingers hovering just above Ginny's jawline. "Why?"

A new male yelled from across the building. "Doesn't matter why, you git! Just get your lard arse in here!"

Goyle's hand dropped to his side as he meandered away, muttering under his breath. As soon as Goyle's back disappeared into the other room, Ginny snapped to attention. Her fisted hands unclasped, revealing a broken piece of glass. She spun it in her fingers so it was against her bond and started to saw through the braided material. Her brown eyes were sharp as she looked over her shoulder, examining the knots.

Harry didn't dare try to signal her, worried it could startle her, making the makeshift blade slip. He watched as the glass sliced through the rope, each thread snapping loose in what felt like slow-motion.

_Finally_, the last bit of the braid broke and Ginny's hands were free. She quickly ungagged herself. The cloth was tossed aside as Ginny rubbed her sore jaw… and that's when their eyes locked. Ginny stayed low, crawling towards Harry.

"Hey." She murmured into his ear, her voice gravelly, as she removed his gag.

Harry swallowed hard before responding. "Hey."

She kissed him hard and quick before moving her hands to his bonds.

"Ginny, what happened?" Harry kept his tone low as he felt the rope slacken.

"I honestly don't know," Ginny admitted. "One minute I was asleep in the bed, and the next I was waking up over some bloke's shoulder as he carried me out here. Okay, you're free." Ginny drew back taking the rope with her.

Harry rolled his wrists as he moved into a kneeling position beside Ginny.

"Alright, what's the plan?" Ginny asked as she tossed the broken bonds aside.

"Plan?" Harry hadn't even conceived of a plan for being free. His only thought had been how to kill anyone who touched Ginny. "Er…" The cogs in his head really needed to start functioning properly. "How many are there?"

Ginny glanced over at the bedroom doorway. "I'd say three. I've only heard three voices and seen two of them."

Harry nodded the wheels in his head finally starting to turn. "All right, I say we set a trap."

"What kind of trap?"

"I'm thinking we lure one of them here and give them a taste of their own medicine."

Ginny smirked. "I like the sound of that. We can pretend to still be tied up, and I bet if I cry out, that arsehole who keeps staring at me will come and check it out."

"That's what I was thinking too." Harry took a deep breath looking her directly in the eyes. "He didn't do anything to you, right?"

She shook her head. "No, just a few touches and suggestions." Her hand came up to caress his cheek. "Nothing I can't handle."

"I know, but —" A shiver ran up his spine. He didn't know how to explain to her what the idea of that fucker touching her did to him.

Ginny didn't seem to need his words; she nodded before kissing him gently. "I know. But let's not focus on any _what-ifs_. We've got some shitheads to deal with."


	6. So Many Questionable Choices

**Get ready for some action and some serious talks! TheDistantDusk, Arnel, and gryffindormischief have all been amazing, helping me with every chapter I write in this fic. So a huge thank you goes to them!**

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Ginny kept her eyes locked onto Harry's, waiting for the signal. He had re-tied her bonds lightly enough that she could easily pull herself free. His were just wrapped around his wrist. If Goyle looked closely, even he could tell Harry wasn't really tied, but Ginny was certain the brute would only have eyes for her.

Harry jerked his head before closing his eyes. Ginny breathed in as deeply as she could with the gag wrapped back around her mouth. Then she screamed, and even with the dampener, it radiated across the room.

The softened voices from the bedroom silenced completely. "What was that?"

"I don't know," another voice spoke this time. His snide tones were easily heard through the walls. "Goyle, go look."

There were some low grumbles but Ginny watched the creep enter the small living room. She used the acting skills she developed as a child in order to get out of trouble (and get her brothers into it): Contorting her face into what a brainless bimbo might look like, Ginny let out another scream.

"What the fuck is going on out there, Goyle?"

"Nothing!" Goyle looked up and down her form, making her skin crawl. "The girl is awake, that's all."

"Well, shut her up!"

The glint in Goyle's eyes made Ginny want to run. She didn't want to be in the same country as someone who looked at her like that, but she refused to falter.

Goyle moved in close, clogging Ginny's senses with his wretched smell and face. "Mornin', luv." Goyle showed yellowing teeth as he leered at her.

Ginny held her breath as he put a rough finger on her jaw. _Oh, how she wanted to vomit_. Goyle's feet were positioned center in front of her, just what she'd been waiting for. She met Harry's eyes and blinked twice. Their sign for intervention.

They sprung into motion together. Ginny pushed her legs out, using as much force as she could to tip the top-heavy Goyle off-center. That's when Harry acted. He jumped from his fake bonds, wrapping his arms around Goyle's neck. At first, Ginny was afraid that the brute's neck would be too large, but Harry performed with ease.

Ginny watched panic crossed Goyle's face as he struggled for oxygen. Harry held his captive close to his chest, a hand covering Goyle's mouth. It didn't take long for Goyle to lose consciousness. His body went limp in Harry's arms.

Harry lowered the brute to the ground, making as little noise as possible. Ginny blinked rapidly. She'd always assumed it took more than ten seconds to knock someone unconscious.

"All right." Harry kept his body slouched as he moved closer to her. "Now let's go see what we're working with."

They crept to the bedroom, keeping their backs against the adjacent wall. Harry stood closer to the doorway, his ear pressed to the sheetrock, but Ginny could hear the two men from her position. They were muttering about a lack of useful things in their packs.

Harry slowly peered around the jamb. After observing the scene for a few seconds, he moved his lips to her ear, his breath tickling her neck. "There are two of them. Both with their backs to the door."

Ginny nodded, giving him a cocky smirk that she feels wrong, yet appropriate on her lips. "So you take the one on the left and I get the bloke on the right?"

She knew Harry saw right through her forced humor. His intense eyes locked onto hers. "Go for the knees. Knock them down so they are shorter than you."

"Are you calling me short?" If Ginny had a superpower it was her ability to make poorly timed jokes. Why she was like this, she'd never know.

Harry, however, wasn't fazed by her poor sense of humor. He moved a hand to her cheek, his calloused fingertips running down her jawline just like Goyle's had. Unlike when Goyle caressed her, though, Ginny didn't feel the urge to boil her own skin. If only there had been time to act on the heated look in his green eyes...but it was as poorly timed as her joke.

Still, Ginny stole a moment and pressed her lips to his. When she pulled back, the blazing look in Harry's eyes hadn't lessened, but a sweet smile curled his lips. With each passing moment, their days seemed more doomed, yet it was Harry who consumed her mind.

She backed away, keeping their eyes locked. It took a moment steel herself for their current task. Ginny wasn't quite sure _how_ she would _take out_ the bloke on the right, but that was a minor detail.

Harry's lips drew her attention as he mouthed _ready?_

Ginny let out a shaky breath but nodded. Keeping their heads down, they moved into the bedroom. Ginny veered towards the skinny blond on the right, praying the old wood floors wouldn't creak under her weight.

Of course, whatever deity that controlled her life couldn't allow things to go so smoothly.

A loud noise under her foot drew all eyes to her: Harry, the blond man, and the other ogre. It was like a classic cartoon scene. All four of them remained motionless, like they were in an old western showdown. No one breathed, just stared. Then all hell broke loose.

Harry tackled the large bulky man, sending them both to the floor. Ginny moved in to knock the blond to his knees, but before she could strike he pulled out a long knife.

He swung wide. Ginny felt the wind pass over her head as she ducked. She stayed low and barreled into his knees, knocking him to the floor. Ignoring his cursing, Ginny focused on getting the knife out of the man's hand.

Again, Ginny's luck seemed to be nonexistent, because her adversary was quick. He swiped the blade up and Ginny only saw the glint of metal before it was past her eyesight as pain stung her cheek. She ignored the watering of her eyes and used her hand to hit the man's wrist as he wound back for another strike. The force of her blow collided with his, causing her intended effect. The knife flew past her ear, sliding across the floor.

"_Fuck_!" the blond yelled. He used his now-open hand to grab at her bicep. He was stronger than Ginny expected. Adrenaline flowed through her as he flipped them over, his weight pressing her small form into the floor.

His hands closed around her throat. Ginny's panic level went from a solid ten out of ten to twenty. She clawed at his eyes, trying to dig her nails into the sensitive organ. Her assailant's grip slackened just as Ginny started to see stars.

Ginny breathed in as much air as she could, her brain trying to come up with a solution. She could still hear Harry struggling with the other attacker just meters from her. Meters from her… _That's it_!

Ginny needed to distance herself from the blond and regain her footing. There was one foolproof way to make a man retreat. She brought her knee up towards her chest, but was stopped by his body. In particular his groin.

Blondie groaned like a wounded dog, which he kind of was at that moment. Ginny used his momentary distraction to knock his hands away from her throat. She pushed his body off her, enough that she was able to turn around onto her knees. She started to crawl away, but her foe recovered faster than she'd anticipated.

He grabbed her ankles and started to pull her back towards him. Ginny reached out, trying to grab anything that could help her. The knife lay a foot away from her. She reached for it, feeling elation when her fingers gripped around the wooden handle.

She spun and blindly slashed, hoping to nick him enough to make him fall back. Her mind never considered she might be cutting his throat. But that's what she did. The blond's eyes widened with shock as his hands rose to the thin slice that ran from shoulder to shoulder. Scarlet blood seeped from the wound. Ginny imagined a dam as water flooded over. Thick liquid continuously pouring out of his neck.

The man collapsed atop her legs, his limp form pinning her to the floor. Ginny kicked him off and scrambled away, unable to take her eyes from the pool of blood spreading across the hardwood. Her ears were ringing as her heart pounded.

"Ginny!" Harry's voice startled her away from the downward spiral. She turned into his warm body as he pulled her to him. She nuzzled her nose into his neck, finding comfort in his heady scent (that somehow overpowered the sweat and blood in the room).

She didn't know how long they sat there on the dirty and bloody floor, wrapped in each other's arms. It was Harry who pulled back first. He took her face into his hands, his thumb running over her upper cheek.

"This is really deep, Gin." Harry's voice was lower than normal and cracked with unsaid emotion. "We gotta clean it out."

Ginny had forgotten all about the cut under her eye. Logically she knew he was right, but all she fucking wanted to do was stay there in his warmth. _Fuck logic_.

Harry, however, did not have the same mentality. He stood and pulled Ginny to her feet, steering her to the bathroom. He forced her down on to the closed toilet lid before taking an old, but clean flannel from the sink and placing it on her wound.

"Hold that." Harry waited until she had hold of the cloth before backing away to rifle through the cabinets.

"We have some disinfectant in my bag," Ginny told him, making to stand. Harry placed his hands on either shoulder, gently pushing back down.

"I know, but I figure it's best to use other resources first." His fingers moved back up to her cheek, caressing it. Oddly, the whole scene reminded Ginny of a rom-com.

As his fingers slowly drew away from her face, Ginny couldn't resist taking the mickey. "Shag a bloke a few times and he becomes Noah Calhoun from _The_ _Notebook_."

Harry paused, halfway between her and the medicine cabinet on the wall. His eyes held heat as he moved in close. He cupped her jaw, tilting her neck until she looked up at him. "_If you're a bird, I'm a bird_."

Ginny snorted. "Fuck off."

A genuine smile spread across Harry's lips as he pressed them to hers. "Maybe later, but only if you're there with me." He pulled back slowly, his eyes roaming over her.

Ginny lost the ability to swallow for a few seconds. _Damn, since when had he been able to cause that by just looking at me?_

"Alright, I don't see anything in here." Harry conceded, backing away from the over sink cabinet. "I'm gonna go try and find our bags."

"I can -"

Harry cut Ginny off before she could finish her sentence, let alone stand up. "No, you stay here and keep pressure on that cut. I think I saw them in the bedroom so it won't take me more than a minute." He kissed her, making her feel lightheaded from more than just blood loss.

When he left the room Ginny shut her eyes and rested her head against the wall. Her cheek did hurt, not that she'd admit it to Harry. Her adrenaline was finally waning and she felt ready to crash.

She didn't even realize Harry had come back until his hand gently ran along her jaw. "Gin, we need to go."

Ginny didn't want to open her eyes. She was so fucking tired. So much had happened in so little time. She slowly opened her eyes and was surprised to find herself in the bed. Sitting up too quickly, Ginny recognized the cottage bedroom.

Harry sat on the edge of the mattress, his hand falling to her thigh. Ginny couldn't help but wonder how long she'd been asleep.

"It's only been an hour." Harry and his mind-reading powers were coming in strong again. His thumb rubbed smooth circles on her leg through the blanket. "But I don't wanna stay here any longer than we need to." He stood. "Those gits cut the gas line from our car so we're on foot again."

"Bloody hell!" Ginny threw the covers off, her lethargy replaced with anger.

Harry nodded. "It's probably a two-day walk from here… without any distractions. And there are always distractions."

Ginny wanted to scream. She was so fed up with all this bullshite. Constantly facing danger, not knowing what will happen to them next, unsure what might happen to her mother…

"Gin." Harry's voice became gentle. "It's gonna be alright." He pulled her close, his arms banding around her waist. Ginny hadn't even noticed she was shaking until then.

Neither of them spoke for a while, they just held on to each other. In that moment, all that existed was Harry and the way it felt to have her face pressed into his neck.

"Are you ready?" His tone was still tender.

She wasn't. Not really. If she had it her way, they'd stay like this forever. Finding comfort from the wild world in each other's arms. But Ginny knew better. She withdrew herself from his warmth and stood. "As ready as I'll ever be."

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Ginny kept her body close to Harry's as they walked down the abandoned country road. The sun had been steadily rising above their heads, letting Ginny know how long they'd been walking. If her calculations were correct, it had been about ten hours.

"We should hop that fence." Harry pointed off towards a basic wooden barrier. "I bet it's a shortcut."

Ginny didn't really have a reason to object. She was tired and the word _shortcut_ perked her up more than she wanted to admit. "Lead the way, Vasco De Gama"

Harry snorted as he angled himself towards a knocked down portion of the fence. "I don't know who that is, but it sounds like they have flare."

"Trust me, darling, I chose the right name." Ginny sped up, passing by Harry, to hop the fence first. "You ooze _flare_."

"You know, if I didn't know any better." Harry moved up behind her right as she was about to step over a fallen wooden beam, his arms wrapping around her waist pulling her back into him. "I'd think you were suggesting something about my sexuality."

Ginny loved the feeling of his nimble fingers brushing on her bare skin. She turned into his embrace, moving her own arms to drape around his neck. Her fingers moved to the little hairs that sat on his nape. For being in an "end of the world" situation, Harry had enough time to keep his hair at a manageable level, though it still went every which way as it used to in school. She had loved it then and loved it now.

"I think I can _personally _vouch for your sexuality." Ginny stood on her tiptoes, letting her breath mix with his. "That's where your _flare _comes in handy."

It was stupid, but Ginny let herself forget everything else. She knew better than to let her guard down, but _fuck_ she was tired. The idea of losing herself was too appealing. Letting all the past horrors of the last few days fade into nothing. _No_...Ginny needed a moment to just think of him and her. To just have a little fun like the younger adults they were.

Right as her lips were about to connect to his, Ginny pulled away, spinning around and jumped over the fence. "Let's see what else you're talented at."

Ginny didn't look behind her as she ran through the overgrown field. She didn't need to look to know Harry was following. Between his footsteps and breathing, Ginny could tell he was right on her heels. She was fit, there was no doubt about that, but having been locked in London for the last few years really limited Ginny's jogging stamina. It was hard to go out for a quick run when the possibility of being kidnapped or killed was high.

Because of that, Harry caught up to her quicker than she'd thought. _Damn him and his smuggler's legs_. He grabbed her waist, causing her to lose balance. She fell, bring him to the hard ground with her.

"How's that for talent?" Harry asked his arms bracketing either side of her head as he lifted his body above her. His warmth surrounded her like a blanket.

"I'd give it a five out of ten." Ginny brought a hand up to his neck, pulling his face close to hers. "But you haven't presented stage two."

This time she allowed herself to kiss him. He was like her own personal drug. She couldn't get enough of him and denying herself of his attention earlier had felt like a withdrawal. Harry lowered his torso against hers, his lips hypnotic. Ginny's free hand dug into the ground. The slimy… soft ground...

Her eyes flew open as she pushed Harry away. His brows furrowed, green eyes turned dark. "Gin?"

She didn't speak as she pushed the long grass to her right aside. There laying right beside her was a bloated corpse. Maggots crawled in and out of gaping orifices.

Ginny couldn't even scream. She was too focused on closing her throat to prevent her last meal from coming out. She couldn't take her eyes off the dead man. His red hair had faded during his time in the sun.

Harry's focus followed hers. "Holy fuck!" He jumped up, grabbing her hand, bringing her to her feet.

"He looks like Ron." Ginny didn't know what made her say it, but he did. The long lanky build, the freckles cover the little bits of skin left, and the red hair. If Ginny didn't know better she'd say it was her brother. But she'd been there the day Ron, Fred, and George had all been buried.

She could feel Harry's eyes on her. It took all of her will, but she turned to look at him. His eyes, once dark with desire, had changed. He was looking at her the way he had on that rainy afternoon when they'd buried her brothers. It had also been the last time she'd seen him for two years, until three days ago. She had never come up with a name for that look, but fuck, it hit her like a ton of bricks.

All Ginny could do was stare, and Harry stared right back. His eyes didn't flicker from hers until he spoke. "We best get going." He didn't wait for her to respond, just turned around to grab his rucksack (that he'd thrown aside to catch her).

Ginny's gut sank like the Titanic. They had hit an iceberg, and now it was like she was sinking in the bone-chilling water.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_If he does that sideways glance and sigh thing one more time… _Ginny's mind couldn't even come up with a strong enough threat if Harry looked at her with that stupid, pathetic gaze again. They had made a basic camp (sleeping bags under a low hanging tree canopy and a small fire pit) for the night. After a lackluster dinner of tinned beans they'd found in the cabin last night, Ginny was now watching Harry. He had withdrawn from her ever since finding that body in the grass.

She couldn't understand what was going on in Harry's head. After multiple attempts to talk to him throughout the day, Ginny had gotten nothing out of him. It was pissing her off. He'd agreed with her demand of no secrets, and what was he doing? Keeping a fucking secret from her!

Harry inhaled through his nose, letting his breath out loudly.

"Bloody hell!" Ginny threw the stick she had been tending the fire with to the ground. "What is fucking wrong with you?"

Harry's eyes grew to the size of saucers. His face was shadowed in the firelight, but Ginny could see his jaw clench. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you've been acting like a prick all day." Ginny stood from log she'd turned into a makeshift chair. She got right up into Harry's personal space, her finger jabbing at his chest. "Ever since we found that body you've been -" She made a generic gesture with her hands. "Tell me what's going on."

"Gin -"

Ginny cut him off before he could even try and make an excuse. "Don't even, Potter. Tell me what's going through your head."

Harry's tongue ran along his lips as she watched the cogs turn behind his eyes. "I -" He took a deep breath. "I don't know how to explain it."

"Well, you've got to fucking _try_ before I use that stick" -she nodded towards her discarded pointer-, "and light your trousers on fire. Because if I hear you sigh _one more time_ -"

"All right." Harry held his hands up in surrender. "All right. Keep your hair on."

"It will be your hair singed to the root, not mine, if you don't talk," Ginny muttered, but she took a deep breath. "All right, push over then."

Harry slid to the edge of his log. He patted the empty bark invitingly. "Just for you."

Ginny snorted as she took her spot. "Look who's deciding to be a gentleman."

"I guess I deserve that." He took in a deep breath, pausing his exhale at Ginny's look. "Right, sorry." Harry's hand shot to the back of his neck. "Okay, I guess it has something to do with that body."

Ginny tilted her head to the side, letting her mouth drop dramatically, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "_Really_?"

Harry glared. "Give me a chance, huh."

"Sorry. Go on."

"Right, well, it's like you said. That body looked a lot like Ron."

She nodded, keeping herself from interrupting.

Harry took another breath. He picked up the poker and knocked down a log from the top of the flaming pile. "Back in school, one of the reasons I never asked you out was because I was afraid Ron wouldn't…" He paused, considering his word choice. "I don't want to say _approve_, but that's kinda what it was. I didn't want to lose my best mate so it was easier to hide my feelings."

Ginny couldn't hold back. "That's stupid. You know Ron would have loved it if you and I dated. He hinted multiple times that he'd rather it be you than anyone else."

"Wait." Harry turned away from the pit, his mouth agape. "What do you mean he hinted?"

"Hinted is being generous." Ginny smiled at the memories. "He literally said the words, 'Harry, mate, Ginny is free next weekend, why don't you take her out.'"

Harry's brow furrowed. "I remember that. I thought he was just suggesting that so I wasn't stuck at the Dursleys'. You know, take her out as _a friend_."

"He followed it up with the phrase, 'she _is _single, so she's free.' I was so pissed at him for that because I did _want _you to take me out, but I didn't want it to be a pity date my brother set up."

"No way!" Harry's hands came up to bracket his face. His jaw falling to the dirt. "I don't remember that last part. Why don't I remember that -" He cut himself off. Even though the only sources of light were the fire and moon, Ginny could see the darkening of Harry's cheeks.

She raised an eyebrow. "Why weren't you listening to Ron, Harry?"

"I was - uh - distracted."

"By?"

"It doesn't matter."

Ginny wouldn't stand for that excuse. She pressed her body close, her lips finding his scruffy beard. "I think it does matter."

She could tell the battle was already won by the shakiness of his next breath. "It really -"

Ginny cut off his words in the most effective way she could think of. When she leaned back, Harry sucked in a deep breath. "Fine. I remember you had moved over to grab another biscuit and… and your shirt collar fell so I could see your bra strap." Harry told his tale in one giant breath, like a sinner at a confessional booth.

Ginny smiled. Teenage Harry was just as adorable as adult Harry. "And look at you now. You've seen way more than _just _a bra strap."

Harry snorted, his eyes falling to the alluded area. "Yeah well at the age of sixteen a bra strap was as much as my mind could handle."

"So, you've been acting weird because you thought Ron would be a git about us?" Ginny brought them back to the main point.

"What?" Harry's gaze met hers. "Oh… no, I guess." He paused, considering his words. "I guess seeing that body also made me think about all the people I've lost… all the people that I love…" To her surprise, Harry choked on his own words.

She took the hand that rested on his lap and brought it to her lips. Harry took a deep breath before speaking again. "I can't handle losing you, Gin. I won't come back from it."

"Won't come back from -" Ginny slid across the rough surface of the log, not caring about the discomfort. She wrapped her arms around Harry's neck, pressing her body close to his. "Harry." Her voice was softer than she expected.

"It just -" Harry's head fell atop hers, his voice getting muffled by her hair. "I thought if I could force myself not to care. To not think about you that way -"

Ginny pulled back, Harry's head dropping before lifting to meet her gaze. "Fuck that!" She poked him in the chest. "Fuck that, Harry."

"I know it's stup -"

"Yeah, it is!" Ginny figured steam must be coming out her nostrils, "Without this," she gestured between herself and Harry, "What's the bloody point?"

"Wha -" Harry tried to speak but Ginny wasn't having any of it.

"Without people we love, what's the point?!" She couldn't sit anymore, her whole body felt restless. Her feet kicked up dirt from around the makeshift fire pit as she paced. "Why would we even bother with any of this shit if we didn't love people?"

She turned on her heel, stomping back towards Harry. He sat, back straight, eyes focused on her every movement. Ginny got right into his personal space and jabbed at his chest again. "I've lost my brothers, my mother, and most likely my father so I'm not fucking losing you. I love you too much to have you disappear too. Got it?!"

Harry's gaze didn't leave her face. The intensity of his focus… it shook her like a pothole. Her stomach was full of butterflies as Harry slowly stood.

He didn't speak as he cupped her jaw in his hands and brought her lips to his. She didn't need words as he guided them towards the temporary bed. He understood exactly what she meant and he agreed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Look at you being all romantic." Ginny smiled as she inhaled another whiff of Harry's scent. Their fire had faded into embers, but neither of them cared to move. They lay tucked up in one sleeping bag. Ginny would have been perfectly content to never move again. The feeling of Harry's cooling skin on hers was too perfect. The way his chest pillowed her head... No, moving seemed like a thing of the past. "Having us watch the stars after an _amorous_ experience."

"If you want, I can pretend to know the constellations to impress you." Harry pressed a kiss to the crown of her head.

"You've already _impressed _me enough for one night, but I'd be stupid to pass on an offer like that."

She felt some of Harry's fingers tease her side while one arm came out from inside the warm bedroll. He pointed through a gap in the leaves. "Right there," His finger moved side to side creating an indecipherable shape, "is Perseus."

"I don't know that one." Ginny tried to make out what Harry saw, but honestly, she'd always been piss poor at constellation finding.

"It's for the Greek hero with the same name." The hand under the cover grabbed hers and with some awkward maneuvering, Ginny's arm was out of the sleeping bag. Harry held tightly to her hand as he made her finger extend and point towards the stars. He traced the same shape as before but this time it wasn't shapeless. She could see the body, head, and arms.

Ginny had never been one of those girls who got so enchanted by a boy that she swooned, but _fuck_… Harry was doing his best to ruin her self made promise."So, who was Perseus?"

"He was one of the many demi-god sons of Zeus. I use to spend my nights looking at the stars and reading about the unimaginable stories behind them. Perseus was my favorite because even though he was dealt a poor hand in the game of life he made it his own. He's one of the few heroes that have a semi-happy tale. He got the girl of his dreams and wasn't driven into insanity."

When he paused, he lowered his hand, bringing hers with it. Ginny tilted her head to look up at him. His expression was thoughtful as he seemed to relive memories. After a moment he breathed in deeply, making Ginny's head rise and fall with his chest. "To someone growing up with their abusive uncle and negative aunt… I wanted that. To find someone to love me and someone I loved too."

Ginny's heart broke. She could imagine a little Harry (hair still going every which way and those dorky taped glasses he use to wear) laying in the back garden and just dreaming about what could be.

She lifted her head off his chest, and twisted her body so she was facing him. "Well, looks like your dream has come true." Ginny pressed her smile to his, letting her now free hand come up to run along his hairy jaw. "I love you."

If it were possible Harry's smile widened. "I love you too."

She kissed him again. "Good. Now all we have to do is keep you sane."

Harry snorted. "That's easier said than done. With all the shite we see…" He shook his head. "My odds of going insane are higher than not."

"Well, what can I do to keep you sane?" Ginny nuzzled her nose to his.

"What we were doing earlier seemed to help."

"_Really?_" Ginny moved her hand, unzipping the bag so there was more freedom within the confines to move. "And here I thought that drove you _mad_."

Harry leaned up, pressing his lips to hers in a searing kiss. "Who doesn't like a bit of madness? Besides you're worth going insane for."

"Well, in that _case_." Ginny ran her mouth along his jaw and up to his ear. "Let me show you the definition of insanity."


	7. She's Gonna Flip Some Tables

**TheDistantDusk, Arnel, and gryffindormischief were kind enough to comb through this chapter and make it look even better, so a huge thank you goes out to them. **

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Harry tried to stop himself from taking heaving breaths, but his lungs required oxygen and refused to take it in quietly. He leaned his head against the passenger door of the aged red pick-up truck he'd chosen for his hiding spot. _Fucking bandits!_ Their heavy footsteps seemed to reverberate in Harry's head as they meandered around the town square.

Everything had been going fine until he and Ginny had arrived in this damn village. They hadn't encountered another human since the cabin and Harry had hoped their luck would hold until they found Bill and Fleur. But of course, that wasn't what happened.

While scrounging around some of the old shops, Harry and Ginny had heard their loud voices. Harry acted instinctively, pulling Ginny out of the open shop door and to the parked truck across the street. Their new _acquaintances _had turned the corner just as Harry peered around the hood.

In the quick glance Harry took before leaning back, he saw it was a group of dirty men. Maybe in their late thirties. Their hair was matted with knots and Harry's stomach turned at the unmistakable dark red of blood mixed in their beards. Harry wanted to believe it was just from an animal they'd killed and eaten, but he highly doubted it.

"What are the odds of finding something good around this place?" The man's voice seemed to be more growl than anything. If Harry's skin crawled just hearing the man's voice... he never wanted to meet him face to face.

The rest of the men weren't nearly as creepy, their tones normal and (after the first voice) feeble as they cast their votes.

"Maybe we can find some spices in there." Harry figured the bloke was pointing at the Tesco he and Ginny had just vacated.

"Good idea." The sinister voice spoke again. "David, Jonah, and Kole. You guys try to find supplies in the Tesco. Sam and I will go look in that apothecary for some medicine."

Harry's heart sank into his gut as he stared at the Heath Dispensary sign straight in front of him. He turned and met Ginny's panicked expression. She'd noticed their dilemma, too.

Ginny slid closer to him, her lips moving right next to his ear. She kept her voice so quiet Harry could barely hear her. "Under the truck."

Then without warning, she scooted back and army crawled under the vehicle. Harry followed, trying not to think about what might _already _be under the truck.

He huddled close to Ginny, looking over his shoulder to make sure his feet weren't sticking out. It was a tight fit, being a smaller vehicle. Ginny's breath tickled his neck as she leaned close to him.

Harry watched the men's beat-up boots walk in front of the truck. Every step made him inch for his knife... well, for the knife he'd stolen from one of the blokes in the cabin. But he was afraid that movement might alert them.

Ginny, however, was much smoother. She had already reached into the pocket of her cargo trousers where she had hidden her blade. Her knuckles whitened with her tight grip as the feet breached the other side of the truck.

"Do you think there is anything left?" The voice was deep and smooth, reminding Harry of old radio programs his aunt would listen to. The ones that discussed how to deal with troubled youth and maintaining the "perfect garden." He had always hated those programs.

There was a snort before the animalistic voice spoke. "Most people are too stupid to know what they truly need. They walk right by useful items such as -"

The man's disturbing tone faded as did their footsteps. Harry counted to ten in his head before scooting on his stomach to the edge of the truck. He looked over the curb at the shop. He could see the men digging around the shelves, not minding anything around them.

He slid his body back against Ginny's and moved his lips close to her ear. "Now's our chance. I saw an open door to the flat complex across the street."

Ginny turned her head and met his gaze with a determined look. "We'll check for a back exit from there?"

Harry gave one quick nod before Ginny moved her small form to view the other side of the street She took a quick peek, her index finger raised in a "just a second" gesture. When she lowered the digit, she slid out from under the vehicle and took off towards the aforementioned building. Harry peered the truck and watched Ginny reach the wide-open door as she climbed the steps .

He took his turn observing the small town square. Three men were trashing the Tesco with gusto, but other than that, the area was as quiet as a cemetery. He rolled out from under the truck and rose to his feet, keeping his head ducked as he ran across what should have been a busy street.

It took Harry only a few seconds to reach the old flat complex, but his heart raced as if he'd run a four-kilometer race. He took the stairs three at a time and found Ginny waiting for him on the first-floor landing.

She hugged him to her, making his already struggling lungs suffer more. After a second Ginny seemed to realize what she was doing because her arms fell to her sides. "Sorry."

"It's fine." Harry kissed her cheek quickly before moving to the door to his right. He tried the handle. _Locked._ He went to his left, also locked. "Okay..." He gave his mind a moment to run through their options.

There was no door to the back alleyway on the ground floor. However, there was a window on the first landing, and there was a pile of trash positioned beneath. It would be safer to jump from only one story up than keep climbing. There wouldn't be any roof access, which would be so much simpler than trying to escape on the same level as the bandits...

"Who the fuck!"

Harry spun to see cold grey eyes staring him down. The intruder's look of surprise shifted to a cold smile. "You know, it doesn't matter who you are." He pulled out a hand pistol.

_Why couldn't gun control still be a thing? It's only the bloody apocalypse. _

Harry slowly raised his hands. "Look, we were just -"

The man cut him off. "As I said, it doesn't matter. We're here looking for dinner and"- he showed off yellow teeth in a wicked grin that chilled Harry to his core- "you two are the perfect entrees."

Ginny shuddered beside Harry. He looked at her from the corner of his eye. She was holding her hands up in surrender too, her focus on the monster before them.

Harry looked back at the Glock 19 pointed right at his chest. If he could distract the guy...

As Harry's mind tried to come up with an acceptable diversion, one came up the stairs. Only this distraction did absolutely nothing to help him. It was the grim man he'd seen earlier, the one with blood coating his beard.

"Well, well, well, some fresh meat. Such a rare commodity these days."

"Found them snooping around, Greyback." The first intruder used his weapon to gesture between Harry and Ginny. "What do you want me to do with them?"

Greyback ran a hand through his matted, disgusting beard as he considered. Then in appreciation of a horror movie villain, he smiled, showing unnaturally sharp teeth. "How about we invite them to dinner?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ginny wasn't quite sure what to think as she watched the five men set up camp. Greyback and his crew had bound and gagged her and Harry, dragging them out into some abandoned and isolated farmhouse. They had been forced at gunpoint to follow behind Greyback, whose odor wafted backward, making Ginny gag every time the wind blew.

Now they were tied to chairs, back to back, as the group of bandits lit a fire in the fireplace. She stared at the bright flames, feeling what she could only describe as a phantom warmth.

Greyback's footsteps echoed around the room as he paced, barking orders at his troop. "Jonah, go find some extra fuel. David, you and Sam go check that house a few kilometers back for any supplies. Kole, you stay and watch our dinner."

"Which one is first?" Jonah asked as he stared at Ginny, his beady eyes sparkling with excitement as he licked his lower lip.

Greyback's pacing turned more deliberate as he moved in close to them. He leaned down, his face only a few inches from Ginny's. If she'd thought his scent was revolting when she was a few meters behind him...

He stood up straight and walked around her, repeating his examination technique on Harry. Greyback let out a snort as he turned his back on their makeshift penitentiary. "The lad. We haven't had a grand feast in a while... and I've been craving some juicy thighs."

Ginny couldn't suppress the shiver up her spine as the rest of the men laughed. The crew followed Greyback's orders, leaving only Kole in the sitting room. Kole wasn't the largest of the men. He was scrawny and scrappy. In all honesty, he reminded Ginny of a feral stray dog. Dangerous and bloodthirsty. He walked over to the now roaring hearth, warming his hands. Ginny seized the opportunity and loosened her muscles.

When Ginny was a kid, Fred and George had gone through a magician phase. They had spent hours attempting to learn the trade secrets, and one of those tricks was escaping from binds.. Being young and bored, Ginny had observed their attempts. She'd picked up a thing or two that summer.

While Sam had been tying her torso to the chair, she'd kept her body tense. So the moment she relaxed, so did her binds. She started to wriggle her wrists, keeping her eyes on Kole.

It didn't take long for her to get one hand out from her shackles. The other hand followed suit. She then lifted the body binds over her head and bent over to roll the rope off her ankles.

She stood slowly, praying the old house didn't creak too much. Kole had started going through their rucksacks,which had been thrown by the fireplace. Ginny looked to her left and found a brick that had once been part of the wall of a sitting room. She grabbed it and crept towards Kole. The moment she was close enough, she raised the brink above her and brought it down hard onto the crown of his head.

Kole instantly fell, his face smacking loudly onto the hardwood floor. Ginny turned back towards Harry, leaving her makeshift weapon next to her victim. She reached him quickly, crouching in front of him and undoing the knots around his wrists.

Harry stared at her in awe. "Where the fuck did you learn to do that?"

"Would you believe I'm a witch?" Ginny smiled up at him as he rubbed his unbound wrists.

"Right now, I'd believe you if you told me I was a Kardashian." Harry helped her remove the rest of the ropes.

Once he was free, Harry cupped the back of her neck and brought her mouth to his. He pressed their foreheads together. "Have I ever told you how amazing you are?"

Ginny's lips quirked as she pulled away, moving towards their sacks. "You could stand to say it more."

"New Year's resolution." Harry followed her, collecting the knife from Kole's belt.

"Starting a little late this year, aren't you?"

"Better late than never, right?"

Ginny laughed as she threw the rucksack's strap over her shoulder. "Come on, let's get out of here." She turned, ready to walk straight out the front door, only to be blocked by a bared teeth Greyback.

There was only a second for Ginny to understand the situation before Greyback lunged at her. He pummeled like a professional rugby player, hitting her low and knocking the wind out from her lungs. She landed right on her back, Greyback hovering over her, his sickening breath incapacitating all her other senses.

But just as quickly as Greyback's weight covered her, it was removed. Harry had tackled the beast, sending them both flying into the drywall. Greyback's head hit with a sickening thud, but it didn't seem to faze the man. He grabbed Harry by the hair and thrust his head into the wall. Harry slumped in Greyback's grip.

Ginny rose to her feet, trying to figure out how the _fuck _she was gonna fight this beast... and that's when she noticed the knife Harry had been collecting. She picked it up, turning quickly to face her target.

Another thing she used to do as a child was playing darts with her father. Pub nights could be quite lucrative for the Weasley family with Arthur's impeccable aim. Ginny and Bill had been the only ones to inherit Arthur's incredible skill.

Greyback was on top of Harry, his pointed teeth directly at Harry's neck. Ginny took the wooden handle between her fingers, letting her arm adjust to the weight, before taking aim. She pulled back her shoulder and released the blade with as much force as she could.

_Thump._

The knife hit its mark perfectly. Instead of aiming for a lethal shot, Ginny aimed for Greyback's left shoulder; the blade went straight through the flesh.

Greyback pulled away from Harry, reaching for the handle. He pulled the metal out of his shoulder, not even flinching at the pain. But it was all Ginny needed. She had already grabbed her trusty brick from the floor. The sound of Ginny's weapon of choice colliding with Greyback's head echoed around the room.

After two hits in the head and one knife wound, Greyback finally succumbed to his injuries. He fell sideways off of Harry, his body limp like a rag doll. For good measure, Ginny dropped the brick atop of Greyback's head before moving to help Harry to his feet.

Harry rubbed the top of his head, his eyes slightly glassy. "Bloody fucking hell that bloke is mad."

"He looked ready to take a chunk right out of your neck." Ginny put her hand on the back of Harry's head so it tilted downwards. She looked at the spot where he'd crashed into the wall. "No blood, but you could very well have a concussion."

"I'm f -" Harry tilted his head back up, cutting himself off at her glare. "I'll _be _fine. We need to get out of here before the rest of those blokes come back."

Ginny didn't like it. He needed a moment to sit and make sure he didn't have vertigo or something like that; she wasn't a doctor, so she didn't fucking know the name of shit. But Harry was right. They couldn't risk those three coming back for a fight.

"Right." She picked up her rucksack for the second time. "Let's get the fuck out of here."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"And that's why I thought it was a good idea to punch Romilda Vane in the nose." Ginny gave Harry a coy grin.

Harry snorted as he walked around a discarded shopping buggy. "And here I thought you were trying to show your dominance."

"Well, that too... but mainly it was because she stole my last Lion bar."

Grinning like a fool, Harry bumped Ginny's shoulder as he walked. "I'd expect nothing less from a Weasley. You lot have the biggest sweet tooth I know."

"That's because we're so sweet ourselves we need to absorb equal sweetness."

Harry put an arm around her waist,. "I can vouch for that."

Ginny let her head fall to his shoulder. It wasn't the most efficient way to walk, but Harry couldn't care less. They had been walking for what felt like days,but was really probably only eight hours, if his estimates were correct.

Between the hot sun, long walk, and the events of the past few days (_had it really only been a few days?)_ Harry was _more _than exhausted. He was so tired his brain couldn't come up with a better word to describe it. It wasn't just his mind that was fighting a losing battle. His body was more scarred and abused than ever before. The gunshot wound to his shoulder still throbbed off and on, and his skin was littered with cuts and bruises.

Ginny suddenly straightened and veered course, heading off towards a house to the left.

"Gin?" Harry yelled after her, picking up his pace to catch up.

"Look!" Ginny's voice swerved like her course, going from knackered to an excited child entering a sweet shop. She pointed to a large side garden with football goals positioned on either side. "There's a ball sitting beside the house."

"Really?" Harry didn't want to shut down her hopes, but what were the odds on the ball not being flat?

Ginny tapped the ball with her foot. She then made quick work, rolling the ball up so it sat up on her toes. With a quick flick, Ginny lifted the ball up into the air, catching it. "Seems pretty good to me." She smirked at him. "You up for a little competition?"

"You serious?"

"I'm also serious about kicking your lazy arse."

Harry couldn't help but laugh. He reached out, intending to grab the ball out of her hand, but Ginny stole it from his grasp. "Not a chance, Potter. You get to be keeper first." She ran towards the center of the field, slapping Harry's bum on her way past.

"Fuck," Harry murmured under his breath as he watched Ginny's hair bounce off her shoulder. He knew they should focus on traveling as much as they could during the daylight. They only had another twelve hours until they reached Bill's. At least that's what Harry's estimate was based off the village sign they passed only twenty minutes ago. They could get another two hours down if they just kept moving. But that look in Ginny's eyes...

"Fine, but keep everything above board. I'd hate to have to go find a ref!" Harry yelled as he made his way into the goal.

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"And it's Weasley's last chance to take the cup." Harry rocked his body back and forth. He was standing in the center of the goal, his knees bent, ready to move wherever Ginny kicked the ball. "She has been on fire since the game began. Only missing one shot the entire night."

Ginny sent him her best glare, though she doubted he could see it in the setting sun. Harry had agreed to ten penalty shots each, which Ginny had _persuaded_ him to increase to twenty. Then thirty. And now… they were on fifty.

Harry had made all forty-eight of his shots, and if she made this last one, Ginny would be crowned the victor. She looked to the top left corner. It was her favorite spot, but it was also where Harry was blocking.

She let out a slow, calming breath before trotting up to the ball. Ginny kicked with all her might at the top right-hand corner. Harry jumped to the left, clearly expecting her to aim for her preferred spot.

Ginny yelled in success, her fist pumping into the air. "Fuck yeah!"

Harry emerged from the goal, a graceful smile on his lips. "Well done."

"Call me Liz, because I am now the queen."

Snorting, Harry handed her the football. "Your trophy, your majesty."

"That's right, my faithful concubine!" Ginny held the ball high above her head. "Are not impressed?"

"_Concubine_." Harry laughed so hard his shoulders shook. "Is that all I am to you?"

Ginny lowered her trophy, tucking it under her arm. She moved in close, running her hand down Harry's neck before tracing it back up towards his jaw. "Are you not satisfied? It truly is an honor to hold such a position."

The low growl in Harry's throat made Ginny smirk. "Oh trust me, I'm very _satisfied_." He lowered his head so his lips slid along her jaw. "And I know you are too, based on your… _proclamations _the other night."

"You think so?" Ginny closed her eyes as she unconsciously tilted her neck to give Harry better access.

"I truly do." Harry's words warmed her neck. His hands started roaming across her body, turning her limbs into old hospital jelly. "I think we should call it a night for travel."

"Huh?" Ginny's mind couldn't multitask when Harry's hands moved like _that_. Harry pulled his mouth away from her neck, making Ginny bemoan the loss of contact. The smug grin on his lips cleared her head, though. She wouldn't want him getting a big head or something so she replayed his words in her head. "Call it a night?"

"Yeah." His self-satisfied smirk stayed in place as he tilted his head over to the old farmhouse. "I bet we can find you a royal suite. Besides, if we get an early start, we should reach Bill's before dark tomorrow."

Ginny didn't need to be told twice. The idea of getting an early... well _earlier_ night sleep was too tantalizing to pass.

When she nodded, Harry pressed a promising kiss to her lips. "Allow me to lead the way, your highness."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

All Harry wanted to do was collapse on the front lawn of Bill's home. The grass really did look lovely for being in the middle of an apocalypse. It wasn't overgrown, and it had that healthy green shine suburban homes used to strive for.

_Focus, Harry_!

"You sure this is it?" Harry asked Ginny.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'd recognized that stupid statue Fleur bought anywhere."

Harry hadn't noticed the marble french poodle at first, but once Ginny pointed it out, he couldn't take his eyes away. "I think it's watching me."

Ginny gave him a very serious and intense look before nodding. "I know exactly what you mean."

It took a few moments for Harry to tear his attention away from the dog statue. He cleared his throat. "You ready to go in?"

Ginny took in a deep breath, releasing it deliberately. Her eyes panned from the poodle to the front door. "I - I don't know what to tell him about Mum and Dad."

Harry took her hand and squeezed it tightly. "The truth is always the best, in my opinion."

"But what _is_ the truth?" Ginny turned towards him, her eyes overly bright. "I don't truly know what happened to Mum. And _Dad_ -" she choked on her own words.

"Gin." Harry tugged her to his chest, cupping the back of her head as she cried.

This was _not _what he'd expected when they got to Bill's; Harry had imagined the siblings running into an embrace and catching up over some lackluster tea. Ginny crying against him as they stood just a few meters from the front door had never even crossed his mind.

"Sorry," Ginny's muffled tones came through the fabric. She lifted her head off his chest, wiping at her nose. "Sorry."

"You never have to apologize for talking to me." Harry kept her hand in his. "This is stressful and I want to help. Just tell me what you need."

Harry knew he'd said the right thing when Ginny rewarded him with a brilliant smile. "You're already doing it." She stood up onto her toes and stole a soft kiss. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

Harry was just about to suggest knocking when the dirt near his feet crumbled. It was only after the bullet broke apart the ground that Harry heard the shot.

"Next time I won't be aiming for the dirt!" A gruff male voice yelled from the front porch. Harry and Ginny turned in unison to see a red-haired, scarred face man.

_Fuck that was an intense scar_. Harry didn't remember Bill's face having claw marks running from his left eye to his chin.

"Bill, it's me!" Ginny held up her hands in surrender. "Ginny."

"Ginny?" The pistol lowered a fraction of an inch before rising back to point at Harry's head. "Prove it."

"Uh..." Ginny's mouth opened and closed as her brain tried to come up with words. "Uh - remember that time I walked in on you and Susan Davis in Auntie Muriel's bedroom when I was five?"

The gun dropped to Bill's side. "Ginny!" Bill put the pistol into a side holster before coming down the front walkway. He pulled Ginny into the firm hug Harry had pictured. Ginny held on tightly, her breath coming out in shaky waves.

After a few moments, Bill pulled away, holding Ginny out at arm's length. "What are you doing here? How did you get out of London?" That's when he turned his attention to Harry. "Is that-?"

"Bill." Ginny removed herself from her brother's grip. She grabbed Harry's hand. "You remember Harry, right?"

Nodding slowly, Bill said, "Ron's best mate."

Ginny squeezed Harry's hand, encouraging him to speak. "Yeah."

Harry held out his free hand. Bill took the offering, his eyes dropping down to Harry and Ginny's linked palms. "And I'm guessing more than just that now?"

Tilting her chin up, Ginny nodded. "You'd be presuming right."

There was a pregnant pause as Bill sized Harry up. Harry refused to drop the older man's gaze. He wanted Bill to know just how important Ginny was to him, and if this hardcore staredown was the best way to communicate, so be it.

Finally, Bill nodded. "All right, then."

Ginny let out a little snort and a muttered claim of, "Not like you had a choice" before saying in her normal tone, "Can we come in? There is - a lot to talk about."

"Of course!" Bill beckoned at them as he made his way back up the drive.

"So, how's Fleur?" Ginny asked as she walked hand and hand with Harry.

Harry noticed a slight stutter in Bill's step at the mention of his wife. His voice dropped an octave. "She's - _fine_. A lot going on..." Bill's voice trailed off before coming back in a much lighter and what Harry would call falsely excited tone. "What about you lot, though? Why are you here?"

Ginny was spared answering as Bill opened the front door. Instantly Ginny was pulled into the foyer, dragging Harry along by the hand.

"Ginny!" Fleur's French accent filled the room as she pulled Ginny into a tight squeeze. It wasn't just her voice that occupied the space. Fleur's overly rounded stomach made the once-slender woman appear larger than life. "How are you?"

"I'm - I'm fine." Ginny pulled back from Fleur's chest, taking in the baby bump. She was so astounded by Fleur's condition that her voice took on a falsetto. "How are you? Your English has improved quite a bit."

Bill snorted from his post beside his wife. "I'm glad you noticed the most obvious change."

Ginny turned to her brother. It was like a loading screen was playing behind Ginny's eyes, preparing for a cheeky comment. After a moment, Harry wasn't disappointed.

"There is one thing you never do, and that is saying a woman looks pregnant without knowing if they are. I'd rather not die by the hands of your wife, I'd prefer going out in a blaze of glory."

Before Bill could retaliate, Fleur spoke. "She is right. There are three things a woman never mentions to a friend. Weight gain, a bad haircut, and an ugly dress."

Ginny nodded solemnly as if she'd been thinking the same thing. "_Yeah_, Bill."

Harry coughed to hide his laughter. Fleur turned towards him.

"So, Fleur, your husband hinted that you're pregnant. Congrats."

Fleur let out a laugh that reminded Harry of a small bell. "Oui! We are very happy."

Harry was reminded of Cedric's excited face as he'd spoken about his possible future child. A shiver ran along Harry's spine. He didn't want to compare Bill and Fleur to Cho and Cedric. Not that one couple was more capable than the other, but he didn't want another family to fall apart in front of him.

Fleur was still speaking rapidly to Ginny as she led the way into the kitchen. "We were able to find some prenatal vitamins and everything seems to be going _stupéfiant_!"

"You all right, Harry?" Bill put a hand on Harry's shoulder, stopping them in the middle of the corridor as Ginny and Fleur continued to make their way.

"Yeah -" Harry nodded emphatically, hoping he could convince himself. "Yeah - er - how far along is Fleur?"

"She's due in a month or so." Bill ran a hand through his loosely tied hair. "Actually, you guys arrived at the perfect time. I was planning on heading out tomorrow to find some more supplies for the birth. Would you be willing to help?"

Harry nodded. "Of course!"

"I always liked you." Bill laughed. "And now you and Ginny are -" He made a face. "Well, now I don't want to kill you much as I should."

"Thanks - I think." Harry rubbed the back of his neck.

Bill opened his mouth, probably to tell Harry what would happen if Harry ever fucked up with Ginny. Before a threat could be made, Fleur called from the kitchen. "Bill! Can you get some carrots from the garden?"

"Of course, darling!" Bill moved towards the sitting room. "Care to help, Harry? We can grab some carrots and potatoes for the stew."

"All right." Harry followed Bill as they exited the cottage from a little side door.

"Great, and while we work you can tell me what happened in London with my parents."

Harry froze mid-step down from the small porch. Bill walked a few paces before turning to see Harry stuck in place as if they were playing a game of Red-Light, Green-Light.

"I know something happened." Bill nodded his chin the direction of the house. "Ginny wouldn't be here unless shite really hit the fan. So I'd like a little run down before getting the whole story from Ginny later."

"I - I." Harry didn't have a clue what to say. First, he'd thought it would be better coming from Ginny. Second, he didn't truly know what happened.

Bill closed the gap between them, clapping Harry's shoulder. "Don't worry, mate. How about we start with your trip here? Did you run into any trouble?"

Harry took the last step off the porch walking alongside Bill. "Well, just so you know, I don't go looking for trouble. It finds me."

"I'm sure it does." Bill laughed. "But I'm also sure that you dealt with it, right?"

"More like Ginny saved my arse quite a few times. She's amazing." In Harry's mind's eye he could still see her taking down that prick with an almost professional rugby tackle.

Bill stopped at a fenced-off area. "Tell me something I don't know!" Opening the gate, he gestured for Harry to enter. "Let's gather up some veggies, and you can regale me with Ginny's most badass moments."

"It will be my pleasure."


	8. We Fucked This House Up Like the Planet

**TheDistantDusk, Arnel, and gryffindormischief were awesome editing this chapter, and the only thing else I need to say about this chapter is… don't hate me**

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Ginny nuzzled her nose into Harry's neck. She had woken from an easy sleep and didn't want to move. Between the softness of the mattress, the luxury of being wrapped in a fluffy blanket, and having Harry's natural scent filling her lungs... No. Ginny was _never _gonna move.

They had been at Bill's house for just over a week now, and it was like a whole other world. They weren't on their feet all day crossing the country, constantly watching their backs, or worried about what would happen when sleep overcame them.

The first few days were a culture shock. At first, Bill hadn't wanted his sister to share a bed with _a male_, but that notion had ended almost as soon as it left Bill's lips. Between Fleur and Ginny's indignant cries, Bill's idea of _protecting Ginny's innocence _flew out the window.

Being able to snuggle into Harry every night was the only thing that resembled normalcy, but everything else was so different. Collecting vegetables from the garden for dinner (without worrying about bandits or angry squatters) and lack of nightly guard duty (since Bill had rigged up a security system of strings, tin cans, and air horns) were just two of the modest luxuries Ginny might have taken for granted before all of _this_.

What startled Ginny the most, however, was the ability to just sit and talk. Throughout the entire trip with Harry, they hadn't had the chance to talk. _Really_ talk. While on the road, time had always seemed to weigh on their shoulders. Opportunities to sit together, to _define_ things, were nonexistent. Now they were used to staying up too late, letting their conversations flow from one thing to the next. Now Ginny understood Harry so much better, which made her love him more.

"Mmm." Harry's voice was lethargic as he sighed happily, his arms circling her waist. "Morning."

Ginny pressed her lips to his neck. "Morning."

"How long have you been up?"

"Not too long." Ginny started trailing kisses up from his pulse point to his jaw before reaching her final destination of his lips.

"Anyone else up?" Harry's tone became much more alert as Ginny's hands ran along his chest.

"Not that I know of." Ginny smirked as she pressed her lips to his again. She moved her fingers down his stomach, letting her digits travel through the dark hair that ran past the waistband of his pajama trousers.

Harry's breath hitched as her hand bypassed the loosely knotted string. "_Fuck_."

"That's the general idea."

"It will be my - and _your _\- pleasure."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You and Ginny seem to be getting on rather well," Fleur said from her side of the table. They were sitting in the kitchen, cutting vegetables for dinner that night.

After a fortnight of staying with Ginny's brother and his wife, Harry had discovered an unknown appreciation for cooking. He had offered to help as Fleur made dinner one night and had been doing it every night since. Fleur appreciated the help; by dinner time, her feet were always rather sore.

"Yeah." Harry sliced the carrot into small chunks. He had always been bad at discussing his dating life. The mere idea of Fleur asking questions about him and Ginny...

Fleur gave a little laugh. "No need for details, _cher_. I just noticed how sweet you are to her."

Harry looked up from his pristine cutting job. She was smiling in that knowing way that Harry swore all mothers and mothers-to-be had mastered. He shrugged, looking back down at his work. "Yeah."

"You are in love with her." It wasn't a question. Fleur's tone left no room for doubt. "I saw you two sitting on the porch last night."

Harry bit his bottom lip. _Fuck_! He didn't want to do this, but he had figured that someone would talk to him about his relationship with Ginny.

Sighing, Harry decided that talking to Fleur about it was better than talking to Bill. "Yeah. I love her."

He looked up in time to see Fleur beam at him. "I could tell from the way you held her. It's the same way Bill holds me." She put down her knife and reached across the table, offering her palm up. Harry grasped her warm hand in his, and Fleur gave his fingers a little squeeze. "You're just what she needs."

"How do you know?" Harry had no idea what made him ask, but the minute the question left his lips, he needed to know. He and Ginny had talked about what they wanted from this relationship, now that he could finally call it a relationship. He knew Ginny loved him, but in the back of his mind, there were seeds of doubt.

In his most self-loathing state of mind, Harry couldn't understand why she loved him. He was a twisted, detached, melodramatic mess of a man and now he might as well add a little insecurity to the list.

"The way she holds you." Fleur let go of his hand and rose from her chair. The process took a great deal of effort because of her baby bump, but Fleur still looked graceful doing it. She moved over to Harry and leaned down to kiss him on both cheeks. "She holds you like everything will be all right as long as you're there."

"That's how I feel about her, too." Harry's voice was so quiet he almost didn't hear it.

"I know." Fleur moved to the sink, which was full of water they had heated on the fire. She smiled as she looked out the window. "Those two are - as you say - thick as thieves. It's a good thing, _non_?"

Harry stood and looked out at Bill and Ginny. The siblings were working on putting up a new fence post. Bill had wanted the extra security not just around the vegetable garden but also the rest of the yard. He and Ginny had been working on the project for the last few afternoons. As Harry watched Ginny laugh as she held the post steady, ready for Bill to secure into the ground.

"Yeah." Harry felt his heart soar at the sight. "It's a great thing."

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"How did you even find this?" Ginny asked Bill as they leaned over the antique crank record player.

"Over in Narberth." Bill placed the classic record onto the disk and started turning the crank. "I figured without electricity, this was the best way to have music. I wouldn't have to worry about finding enough batteries for a radio _and_ torches."

Ginny had to admire her brother's forethought. He planned for years of no civilization. Most people hadn't thought past the first few weeks, but Bill had sustained himself for years now.

Bill dropped the crank lever and moved the needle onto the record. A bouncy tune poured from the speaker.

"What is this, from the twenties?" Ginny laughed.

"No. The thirties." Bill gave her a cheeky grin before sticking his hand out, palm up. "Care to dance?"

Ginny tilted her head, giving Bill her best _really?_ look. "You dance?"

"Marrying a French woman has made me adept at things I never thought about." Bill didn't wait for Ginny to accept his offer. He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him. "Such as French cuisine and dancing."

He started to move them to the beat, their linked hands going up and down. It reminded her of one of those awkward father-daughter dances in sitcoms.

Bill laughed at the look on her face. "Fleur has a thing for dancing, though this isn't exactly how we dance..."

"I'm sure it isn't." Ginny was finally getting into the swing of the beat. "Your dance skills probably led to that baby."

"It could have been a part of it. And it could have also been the bottle of French wine I found while scouting that day."

Ginny was so busy laughing she didn't notice Harry and Fleur in the room until Fleur spoke. "It has nothing to do with the fact that I find you incredibly sexy, _mon amour. _I can promise that_._"

Bill spun them so he was looking at his wife. Ginny loved the way he did that. It was as if the rest of the world didn't exist. At first, she had questioned her brother's marriage to the beautiful French blonde. Then the world had gone to hell before Ginny had gotten a chance to really get to know her new sister-in-law. But now she could see how much Bill truly loved Fleur.

When Ginny turned her head she saw Fleur returning Bill's loving gaze. There was no doubt in Ginny's mind about her brother's wife. She turned her attention to Harry, who stood beside Fleur. His eyes were locked on hers. He was looking at her just like Bill looked at Fleur. It took her breath away for a moment.

"Harry." Fleur turned her focus to the man beside her. "Care to show these fools how it's done?"

"Er..." Harry shook his head slightly, as he turned his attention to Fleur. "I can't dance."

"_Pish_." Fleur waved a dismissive hand. She took Harry's hand in hers and guided it to her waist. "Bill could not dance when I first met him, and look at him now. _La perfection!"_

Ginny had to hold back her laughter as she watched Fleur instruct Harry. He looked like he was about to jump from an airplane without a parachute.

"The poor boy doesn't know what he's in for," Bill chuckled as he spun Ginny around in a circle. "Fleur loves a good challenge."

"Well, she did marry you." Ginny grinned up at her brother to soften her bite.

Bill nodded. "You've got that right."

They were silent for a few verses, both caught up in their thoughts. It was Bill who broke the peace. "You and Harry -" He cleared his throat. "The two of you seem good for one another. You seem to fit together well."

Ginny smiled. Bill had always been the most level-headed of her brothers, except when it came to boys. The mere fact that he was saying anything positive about her and Harry was his version of an old-fashioned blessing. Not that Ginny needed his blessing, but it was nice, nonetheless.

But of course, she couldn't tell him that in words. Instead, she gave him a sly smirk. "Oh, we fit _together _extremely well."

Bill's awkward smile shifted to a deep grimace. "Oh, come on, Ginny. Why do you need to do that?"

Ginny's laugh became the loudest thing in the room as the songs switched. "It's just too easy. I couldn't pass the opportunity. Fred and George would roll around in their graves!"

It was like a stone fell into her gut. That was the first time she'd used her brother's deaths in a joke. It didn't feel right, but yet... Ginny kept eye contact with Bill. Fred and George wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Bill didn't speak for a full five seconds, but his eyes sparkled with humor. "Actually, I think they'd be rolling due to the fact that _ickle Ginny_ is getting laid!"

"But they would love the fact that it was Ron's best mate." Ginny smirked. "They were suckers for a good prank on Ron."

"This isn't a prank, though."

Ginny looked over Bill's shoulder at Harry, who was slowly swaying with Fleur, his head downcast as he watched his feet. "No, it's definitely not."

When the song ended, Fleur released Harry. "You're improving, _cher_." She patted his cheek. "But I need to rest."

Harry guided her to the sofa and helped her lower down onto the cushions. "Do you need anything?"

Fleur waved him off. "_Non, _don't worry about me."

"You know," Bill drew Ginny's attention back to him, "I never really imagined you and me dancing until the day you got married."

Ginny chuckled. "Is that because you knew I'd be a poor dancer? Wanted to save your toes for as long as you could?"

"Oh, no! I just figured you wouldn't be caught out on the dance floor. You'd rather be out on the football field."

"Is that an option?"

Bill laughed. "If only. Fleur was against the idea of putting a pool in the back garden so I imagine a field wouldn't be approved either."

"Pardon me." Harry put on his poshest voice as he tapped Bill on the shoulder. "May I cut in?"

Bill stared at Harry for a moment before looking back at Ginny and winking. "If the lady wishes."

"Oh, I _yearn _for it." Ginny gave Harry an overdramatic once-over.

Bill grimaced again but backed away. "So be it. I shall be over there with that beautiful woman." He walked over to Fleur, taking the empty spot beside her. They exchanged a few quick words before Bill placed a hand on her swollen stomach.

Harry set his hand on Ginny's waist (just like Fleur had just shown him) and started moving them to the relaxed beat. "They're really great."

"They are." Ginny rested her head on Harry's chest. She loved listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. It put everything into perspective. They had made it. It hadn't been easy, but they had made it to Bill's with only a few new scars.

They moved in contented silence. Words weren't necessary, not when she could hear how alive he was. Ginny was so lost in her own world that she didn't even notice when Bill and Fleur left for bed.

When the record stopped playing, neither of them stopped swaying. Ginny pulled her head back so she could look at Harry. His eyes were closed, his pleasant smile speaking the words that had been lacking between them.

"Harry?"

"Hm?"

"You ready for bed?"

Harry's eyes opened slowly. "As long as you're with me, I'm ready for anything."

Ginny snorted. "Don't start getting soft on me now, Potter."

"Oh, trust me, that isn't an issue."

She had to resist the urge to laugh."Such a boy," Ginny muttered, rolling her eyes. "You're lucky Bill has already gone up to bed."

"And I'm hoping to get luckier."

Ginny backed away from his chest to better swat it with her hand. "You're ridiculous." Her hand slid up his torso up to the base of his neck. She pulled his face level with hers. "And I love you for it." When their lips met, Ginny was lost to the world again, but this time the only thought in her mind was Harry.

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"We're gonna need more blankets." Bill's normally calm demeanor was completely lost as he rushed about like a chicken with its head cut off. Fleur's contractions had started three hours ago and were still over ten minutes apart. "And sterilized water. Ginny, you need to go boil more."

Harry had never experienced a birth, so he wasn't sure what he could do to help. He felt like he was in the way as Bill bustled around. Ginny, whose aunt had a baby a few years before shite hit the fan, at least had _some_ clue what needed to happen. Which included ignoring Bill.

"Really, _Bill_." Fleur's French accent became much more prominent when she was annoyed. "It's nowhere near time yet. _Se calmer._"

"She's right, Bill." Ginny looked up from the birthing book she was reading. "We will get everything together when the contractions are five minutes apart."

"_Oui_." Fleur nodded at her sister-in-law. "For now, how about we play a game. You love a good game."

Based on the wide-eyed expression Bill was giving his sister and wife, a game was the last thing on his list. Fleur, however, refused to be deterred by her husband's anxiety. She took the chair across from Ginny at the table. "How about _Never Have I Ever_. You loved playing that with me when we first started dating."

Ginny placed her book face-down on the table, spine open so her spot was marked. "Sounds like fun, Fleur." She turned her attention to Harry, her eyes speaking volumes. And those words happened to be, _Get your arse over here and play the game_.

Harry cleared his throat, moving to the empty chair next to Ginny. "Yeah, I haven't played that in forever."

"Perfect!" Fleur clapped her hands together, before holding them out, all her fingers extended. "How about we play down from ten?" Everyone followed her lead and spread their fingers out too, although Bill did so begrudgingly. "Why don't you start, Harry."

"Er -" Harry didn't have a clue what to say. He had done a lot of shite in his life. Looking around the room, he dug for inspiration. The large window that typically shown natural light into the kitchen was peppered with raindrops from a minor storm outside. His focus slid back to his companions. Ginny grinned at him in that oh so attractive way she saved for only him. "Uh - never have I ever kissed someone while standing out in the rain."

"Really?" Ginny gave him a look of surprise. "Is that another _Notebook _reference?"

Harry could feel his cheeks heating as everyone stared at him. He shrugged. "It's whatever you want it to be. So who lost?"

Everyone put down a finger but Harry. Ginny sent him a coy smile. "If you want to join the _club_, I'd be more than happy to assist you in that endeavor."

"Well, how could I refuse -"

Bill cut Harry's cheeky response by loudly clearing his throat. "How about instead, Ginny, you _assist _us all by asking the next question?"

Ginny mock glared at her brother. "Spoilsport." She tapped her chin in thought. "How about never have I ever tripped over the garden fence and eaten a chunk of dirt."

Harry held in his snort, but Fleur couldn't. The unladylike noise sounded foreign coming from her. "She got you there, _amore_."

Bill pursed his lips as he lowered another finger. Ginny beamed as if she'd just scored the winning goal for the world cup.

The game continued for a while. Fleur's questions veered towards more _personal _information ( _Never have I ever had sex in public)_. Bill, however, stayed away from any intimate inquiries (_Never have I ever dyed my hair)_.

Every so often, Harry would see Fleur flinch. She would shut her eyes and her hands would form tight fists before reopening to the proper count. Harry had never been in labor, but he was certain Fleur was playing off the pain. He'd read horror stories about how intense the pain was, but Fleur was acting like it was a paper cut.

Ginny noticed Fleur's discomfort. Her eyes would meet Harry's, confirming her awe at Fleur's lack of response. Bill steadily grew more and more anxious as time ticked by, his leg bouncing rapidly every time Fleur paused for the pain.

After Harry's seventh question, Fleur let out a deep breath, her fingers unclenching. She cleared her throat. "Sorry about that. I believe it's your turn, Ginny."

"All right." Ginny took a deep breath before forcing a wicked grin onto her lips. "Never have I ever filled my mouth with candy to impress someone I fancied."

Bill scoffed. "Really? You're calling me out like that?"

"I just want you to relive all your - indiscretions."

"Did it actually impress the girl?" Harry asked as Bill lowered his final finger.

"No." Bill shook his head. "I got a date with her for - another reason."

Fleur sent her husband a coy smile. "Bill has more impressive _talents_ he uses that mouth for."

Ginny grimaced. "Ew! I didn't need that image, Fleur."

Harry snorted. "She's literally in labor, I think we know Fleur enjoys his talents."

Bill rolled his eyes. "And with that, I lose."

"Perfect timing," Fleur leaned back in her chair, her hand coming to her stomach. She shut her eyes, her voice becoming heavy. "Because my contractions are about five minutes apart."

In the time it took for Harry to blink, Bill was out of his chair and beside his wife. "Why didn't you say something?"

"I wanted to finish _le jeu_." The last two words came out in a groan.

Bill stood stock-still for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Fine. But now we need to get you into bed." He turned to Harry and Ginny. "Can someone please bloody boil some water now?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry winced as Fleur gripped his hand hard enough to break a bone. He was positioned up by her head, basically being her punching bag. If she needed to yell, he was the receiver. Needed to grip a hand in a crushing hold? Harry was her go-to guy. Harry also would dab at her forehead with a damp cloth, hoping to make her just a little more comfortable.

After eight hours of active labor, Bill had claimed Fleur was almost at ten centimeters. He and Ginny focused on Fleur's lower half, while Harry stayed above, which suited him just fine.

"We're gonna meet our baby real soon, _amore_." Bill peeked out from under the sheet they had used to cover the business end of the process.

"_Putain Dieu merci_," Fleur moaned as the contraction ended. She slowly released Harry's hand. Harry flexed his fingers, making sure none of the bones _had _been broken.

Ginny beamed at her sister-in-law. "Do you think it's a girl or a boy, Fleur?"

"I have been saying since day one it's a girl." Fleur let out a deep breath. "Bill says a boy, but I think he just wanted to say the opposite of what I said."

"No, I really think it'll be a boy." Bill gave his wife an adoring smile. "I mean, look at my family. Boy after boy after boy."

"Hey, I'm evidence that Weasleys can make girls." Ginny moved around the bed to Fleur's shoulders and started to rub. "I bet you're right, Fleur."

Fleur nodded at Ginny. "_Oui_, I am -" The last word came out on a sharp inhale. Her hand reached for Harry's, her vice-like grip stronger than ever. Her breath came out in harsh puffs. "I think I need to push."

Bill ducked back under the sheet. "Okay, whenever you're ready, love." Fleur grunted, her entire body shifting so she was almost sitting straight.

From that point on time seemed to move rapidly between painful groans and French swears. Harry's hand throbbed as Fleur squeezed it with force, but he refused to leave her side.

High pitched chirping made Harry look up from Fleur. Bill was wiping off the baby's nose and mouth as he wrapped it in a small white blanket. He held it as if it was the most precious cargo, which to him it _really _was. He stepped deliberately towards Fleur, making cooing noises at the bundle.

"You were right." Bill's cheeks must have been going numb from such a large smile. "It's a girl."

Fleur, who had fallen back onto her pillow, reached for her daughter. Harry looked over her shoulder at the tufts of blonde hair and wrinkled nose.

Harry had expected the baby to be crying, but instead, she lay on Fleur's chest, perfectly quiet. Her eyes closed as she slept. Bill ran a finger down his daughter's cheek, the pad of his wiping away blood.

Ginny came over to Harry and wrapped an arm around his waist, her head coming to rest on his shoulder. Harry turned his attention away from the new family to kiss the crown of her head.

"Thank you." Fleur didn't look up from her baby, but Harry knew she was addressing him and Ginny. Her voice was raw from overuse and emotion.

Ginny simply reached out and squeezed Fleur's shoulder. They all remained lost in their little world. All eyes on the newborn. Harry watched as Bill held his daughter for the second time. Bill had a small content smile on his lips as he stared at his daughter.

Bill passed the newborn back to Fleur when the baby gave a little cry. It was nowhere near as loud as he'd expected. Once the baby was curled back into Fleur's chest she settled.

Harry didn't want to leave their little paradise. Bill had brought a few chairs in from the kitchen (after cutting the umbilical cord) and now they all just sat around Fleur and the baby. Everything seemed to be in a rosy glow. Every so often the girl would make a chirping noise and Harry's heart would try to combust with cuteness overload.

"Have you ever held a baby, Harry?" Fleur asked, breaking the stillness of the last hour.

"Me?" Harry almost backed away, but Ginny's fingers on his hip tightened. "N - no I haven't."

"Well, now is the time." Fleur gingerly lifted the bundle. "Hold out your arms."

Harry did as he was told. He held out his arms straight as boards.

Ginny let out a sigh and re-adjusted his limbs so one was raised, his elbow bent slightly. "Make sure to keep her head up." She then helped Fleur pass the baby on.

Harry watched in wonder as the little girl was placed in his arms. Her lips parted as she breathed, her eyes still closed. He gently adjusted himself so he held her in a more comfortable position.

"We need a name," Bill spoke, his eyes having followed his daughter's path.

"I was thinking Victoire." Fleur had fallen back on the pillows. Her porcelain skin had grown paler. "She is our own little victory, _non_?"

Bill looked at his wife and pressed a kiss to her damp forehead. "I love it." He then turned to Harry and Ginny. "And we talked about it the other night, and we want you two to take care of her if anything were to happen to us."

"Really?" Ginny looked between her brother and Fleur in surprise.

"And not just because you're here and it's basically an apocalypse." Bill smiled at Ginny. "We know you two would never let anything happen to Victoire."

"_Oui_." Fleur smiled weakly, her eyelids drooping. "No one bet -" Her sentence died in her throat as her eyes closed completely.

"Fleur?" Bill lightly shook his wife's shoulder. When she didn't respond he did it again, this time with more force. "Fleur?"

Ginny was down at the bottom of the bed faster than Harry could understand what was happening. "Bill, there's too much blood here."

Bill was beside Ginny in a second. "What do we do? She needs to replenish her blood supply!"

Ginny was rapidly flicking through the birthing guide, seeking any answers. Harry didn't know what to do. He felt helpless as he just held Victoire. She'd opened her eyes, which were the exact same eyes as her mother, down to the shade of blue.

"I don't know!" Ginny ran a hand through her hair. "It says she needs oxytocin."

"What?" Bill snatched the book out of Ginny's hands, his eyes blurring as he read the paragraphs. "How the fuck do we get that?"

"I don't know! Do I look like a doctor?"

Bill rifled through the thin pages. "What the fuck is wrong? Why is she bleeding so much?" His page-turning increased in speed. "Has she delivered the placenta? It says she should have pushed it out after an hour."

"It's been well over that." Ginny lifted onto her toes to read over Bill's shoulder. "Can she even deliver it while unconscious?

Harry stayed by Fleur's head, holding the baby to his chest. From his viewpoint, he couldn't see much of what was happening below Fleur's waist, but his imagination ran wild. Red staining the sheets.

Ginny moved up to Fleur's shoulder and gave it a shake."Fleur?" She put two fingers on the Fleur's neck. Harry could hear the sharp intake of breath, as Ginny stuttered. "Bill, I - I don't have a pulse."

"What?" Bill threw the book aside and went to Fleur's other side. His long fingers sat on her neck for too long. "No."

Harry had never seen Bill lose control like this. He was always the calmest and put together of the Weasley brothers. But there keeping Bill together at that moment. He shook Fleur's shoulder again. "Fleur, wake up, love."

Ginny backed away from the scene. She crouched low to the ground, her fingers coming up to put pressure on her temples.

"Fleur." Bill still shook his wife, his voice cracking. "_Mon amour_, open your eyes. Please." Not even a twitch of an eyelash.

Bill let out a guttural sob. "No! I can't -" He slid into the bed, his arms wrapping around Fleur as if he could hug the life back into her.

Harry couldn't look. The way Bill, one of the strongest men Harry had known as a child, was losing... No, he couldn't look at it. Instead, he cast his eyes down to the newborn in his arms.

Her eyes had closed again, and as Harry watched her little chest struggled to rise and fall. It took five seconds for just one breath to reach her lungs.

Harry felt his stomach drop as if he'd fallen down an elevator shaft. Before his eyes, Victoire took in one more shuddering breath and didn't exhale. Harry tapped the baby on her shoulder, hoping the movement would jar her body into action.

_Nothing_.

"Gin." Harry was surprised by how calm his voice sounded. His mind was in a panic, but his mouth seemed to know how to keep a level tone.

Ginny looked up from her crouched position. Her eyes at first unseeing, before shifting into sharp attention. She stood and came to his side.

Harry kept his voice low. "She's not breathing."

"_Fuck_." Ginny exhaled the word. She rushed over to the book Bill had ungraciously thrown aside. As she moved back to Harry's side, Ginny flicked through the pages until she reached her desired section. "Thank God." She took pointed Harry down to the floor. "Put her on her back."

Gently, Harry followed her instructions. Ginny kneeled beside him and Victoire. She placed the book open so Harry could see the diagrams. It showed a woman pressing two fingers to the baby's chest.

"It says do thirty compressions gently with two to three fingers at one hundred beats per minute."

Harry did as she said, counting in his head. _Ten, Eleven, Twelve_.

"At thirty it says to tilt her head so the chin is lifted, but don't tilt too much."

_Twenty. Twenty-one_.

"Then cover the nose and mouth with your own and give two gentle breaths. Each breath should be a second long."

_Twenty-eight. Twenty-nine. Thirty. _

Harry tilted Victoire's chin so he could lean down and cover her mouth and nose with his own. He exhaled into the baby's lungs. _One second_. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her chest lift with his breath. He did it again. _One second_.

He pulled away and started his compressions again, his two fingers smoothly pressing over her heart. _Two. Three. Four. Five_.

"Ginny?" Bill's cracked voice from the bed almost broke Harry's concentration. "Ginny, why is it so quiet?"

_Nine. Ten. Eleven_.

"Bill." Ginny looked over at her brother. "Just give us a moment, okay."

_Nineteen_. _Twenty_.

"What?" The huskiness of Bill's voice wasn't lost to Harry as he counted.

_Twenty-five_.

"I need you to stay over there, please." Ginny's voice cracked with strain. Harry could feel her eyes on him again as he titled the baby's chin again and blew.

_One second_. _Breathe, damn it!_


	9. We'll be the Proud Remainers

**So instead of waiting for my normal Sunday to post this I thought you all deserve this chapter early after that last chapter. TheDistantDusk, Arnel, and gryffindormischief were awesome editing this chapter so a huge thank you goes out to them!**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry dug his small spade into the dirt, trying to coax the potatoes out of the Earth. All the while he kept one eye on the horizon. The sky darkened to an ominous blue and black combo. A storm was coming. The question was, how long did Harry have to finish gathering materials for that night's dinner?

He'd guess an hour, tops. After living in the same spot for the past seven years, Harry had become accustomed to the tricks and traits of the land. Weather prediction had become a useful and vital skill.

Seven years. It still sometimes felt unreal. He and Ginny had arrived at Bill's simple home with nothing but a few things on their backs. Now, they lived with Ginny's brother in a relatively simple lifestyle. Gardening, cooking, and maintaining the defenses were some of Harry's most important duties.

Well... those and -

"Harry!" Victoire's girlish laugh pulled Harry's attention away from his work. The little girl was running straight for him, her grin showing a few gaps in her pearly white baby teeth. "Harry, Ginny's gonna get me."

Victoire was right - or she would have been if Ginny had truly been trying to catch her. As it was, Ginny was following behind the girl at a light jog, arms outstretched, wiggling her fingers as if casting some sort of witch's spell.

"There is nowhere you can hide." Ginny was mimicking the stereotypical evil witch's tone. "I will find you, my pretty!"

Vic let out a high pitched scream as she ran through the garden's gate. She ran around Harry, circling so that she hid behind his legs. Her little fingers stretched the dark denim. "Don't let her get me!"

Ginny stopped in front of Harry, her wicked smile spreading from ear to ear. "Sir, I'm looking for a girl. She's about this height" -Ginny lowered her hand to Victoire's height- "and cute as a button. Have you seen her?"

"Cute as a button you say?" Harry tapped a finger on his chin in mock consideration. Vic's grip tightened. "Can't say I have. Now if you'd said pretty as a flower, I may have known something, but alas!" He shrugged. "Clearly not the same person."

"Hmm." Ginny slid a hand over Harry's arm, trailing it up towards his shoulder. "Could I convince you to pass along your intel of this pretty person? Maybe the knowledge will lead me to my victim - I mean - _friend_."

"I don't know, I'd hate to betray this person. What do you have to offer in trade?"

"I think you can find me quite - _persuasive_ to the right person." Ginny moved her body closer, her fingers now playing the little hairs on the back of his head.

"I think I may be the right person."

Right as Harry's lips met Ginny's, a long revolted cry came from behind him.

Victoire pulled away from Harry's legs, her lips curled in disgust. "Ew! Why do you two always end up kissing?"

"Because they're icky, that's why." Bill walked down the cottage stairs, a playful smile on his lips that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Come on, Vic. Let's leave those two to finish collecting potatoes for tonight's dinner."

Victoire ran into her father's open arms. She hugged him tight as he lifted her in his arms. Bill ladened the girl's cheeks with kisses as she giggled.

Harry smiled as he watched the father and daughter duo turn back into the house. "They're adorable." Harry hadn't planned on saying that out loud, but it escaped his lips without permission.

He looked down at Ginny and couldn't help but imagine what it would be like if she was holding his baby. Watching her kiss their baby's chubby cheeks and see his or her gummy smile.

_No_! Harry couldn't let himself picture that! It would just get his hopes up for things that could never happen. They could never have a baby, no matter how many times Harry's dreams imagined it. He could never bring an innocent child into such a horrible world. Harry could never forgive himself if something were to happen to his child or Ginny... like what happened to Fleur.

Even after all this time, Bill was still understandably shaken by the loss of his wife. Harry refused to let his mind drift to the possibility of losing Ginny. Which was why he would never risk her life having a child.

There had been a few times over the years where protection had been forgotten, which had led to weeks of uneasily waiting for Ginny's monthly.

Though anxiety drove him for those weeks, there had always been that base desire for a child of his own. So rather than dread and dream about a future he couldn't obtain, Harry focused on raising Victoire. She was just as good as his own child, her being his goddaughter and all.

"Harry?" Ginny kissed his lips lightly. "Come back to me, love."

"Sorry." Harry forced his mind to think happier thoughts. He smiled. "You wanna help grab some carrots for the stew?" He made to move out of her embrace, but Ginny kept her arms around his neck.

"_Or..._" That wicked smile came back onto her lips, this time with a different connotation. "We could head over to that empty house next door for a bit."

Harry looked over Ginny's shoulder at the still dark and foreboding sky. There _really _was a storm on the way...

Ginny trailed her lips down his neck, over his throat, and down to his collarbone. Her words coming between kisses. "Am - I - being - persuasive - enough?"

He couldn't contain the little groan that rose from his throat. "_Yes_."

"Yes to which question?" Ginny asked as she continued to torment him.

"Both."

Ginny drew back, making Harry bemoan the loss of her _attention_. She ran her hand down from his neck to his shoulder, along his arm, before lacing their fingers together. "Perfect. I'm glad my talents weren't exaggerated."

She pulled them out of the fenced garden, towards the neighbors. Harry stayed close, letting her warmth keep him safe from the chill of the impending storm.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Aunt Ginny?" Victoire's sleepy voice made Ginny turn around. The little girl was still tucked up under her blanket. Comforter to chin and Alfred the bunny's ear sticking slightly out from under the covers he wouldn't get cold.

"Yes, luv?" Ginny moved back into the room, her hand gently brushing the blonde locks from Vic's face.

"Why didn't their mummy stay with them in that story?" Her eyes didn't quite meet Ginny's as her voice softened. "Did she not want them?"

Ginny had to think about the question for a second. She glanced over at the book they had been reading before bed. _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe _had a piece of yellowed paper stuck marking their place. When she had selected the book, Ginny figured the little girl would focus on the amazing fantasy, not...

"Oh, no, Vic." Ginny's free hand came up to rub the back of her neck,a skill she'd picked up from Harry. "She wanted them very much. She loved them so much, but she had to send them away to protect them."

"So she had to leave them because she loved them?" Victoire's child mind couldn't quite understand all the logistics. "Is that why my mummy left me?"

_No. No. Nope. _

Ginny did not want to be having this conversation right now. Fuck, she never wanted to have this conversation. They had told Victoire about Fleur. They'd explained how beautiful Fleur had been and how much she'd loved Victoire. But they never really explained how Fleur had died.

It was natural for Victoire to draw conclusions based on the stories they read, but Ginny never expected this.

"Well, yes she loved you so much." Ginny sat on the edge of the mattress, "and all she wanted was for you to be happy and healthy." She drew a deep breath. "Sometimes in order to protect the people we love, we have to make sacrifices."

Victoire blinked at her with those ocean blue eyes. "But doesn't that make you sad to sac -" she started stuttering over the word. "Sacri... sacr..."

"Yes, it can make you sad to make a sacrifice." Ginny kissed Vic's forehead. "But sometimes the happiness of others is more important. But what is important right now is you going to sleep." She rose from her spot on the bed, with a final kiss to the girl's forehead. "Goodnight, love."

Ginny moved out of the room, leaving the door ajar. Her mind was racing. Never had she thought Victoire would ask questions like that. It was heartbreaking to think Fleur never got to tell her daughter just how much she loved her.

Without conscious thought, Ginny's feet took her right where she needed to be. Harry sat in their bed, a candle lighting the room so he could read his novel, his legs covered by their duvet.

He looked up at the sound of her shuffling feet. His glasses were slightly crooked, which he took a second to correct. "Hey." He took one look at her and placed his book aside. "What's wrong?"

Ginny's throat seemed to close as she tried to explain what had just happened. She stood stock-still for a moment, trying to force the words out of her mouth. When they didn't come, she moved. Ginny went right for the spot that she felt safest, where everything horrible in the world couldn't get her: Harry's arms.

Harry didn't ask any more questions. He just held her close, pulling the blanket so it wrapped around her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"No peeking, Aunt Ginny," Victorie called over her shoulder as she ran into the woods. Hide-and-seek had become one of the seven-year-old's favorite pastimes, which in turn meant it became one of Ginny's daily activities. The little girl couldn't get enough of the simple game. Some days, like today, Bill and Harry would join.

"You heard the master, Ginny." Bill smiled at his sister as he followed his daughter.

Harry smiled at her, moving in close. His fingers toyed with the belt loops of her denims. "You know I was thinking, maybe we could play a round of _private_ hide and seek later." He bent down to kiss her. "I guarantee I'll find your _secret _spot."

Ginny laughed, letting her lips linger on his for an extra second before pushing him away. "Well, let's test your skills here. "

"See the problem is - I want _you_ to find _me_."

"This is a test of your _longevity_, love." She looked him up and down, a coy smile playing on her lips. "I want to see how long you can last."

"Baby, I can last all night."

Ginny snorted. "Did you just call me baby?"

Harry gave a nonchalant shrug. "Figured I'd give it a shot. Didn't feel right."

She shook her head. "_Definitely _not right."

"I'll stick with _darling_." Harry kissed her one final time before disappearing into the forest.

Ginny sat down on the porch stoop before covering her face with her hands. Her eyes closed naturally from being already bathed in darkness of her hands.

_One. Two. Three. _

She kept a beat between each number to give Victorie ample time to find the perfect spot. Though enthusiastic, the girl wasn't great at finding spots.

_Twenty. Twenty-one._

If Ginny had to place bets, Vic would be in the little cove, Bill behind the tree next to the cove, and Harry would be up in one of the high branches.

"Thirty. Ready or not here I come!" Ginny shouted as loudly as she could before rising from her perch. She entered the thicket of trees the others had disappeared into, her mind debating who to focus on first.

Vic would be easy to find, but being found first would ruin the girl's fun. That meant Harry was her first target. She kept her steps light as she walked across the hard forest ground. She took the left fork instead of her normal right. If she could manage to sneak up on Harry, it would be even better. Typically he would watch her from his perch, laughing quietly as she walked right under him. This time she wouldn't fall for his tricks.

She kept her eyes to the sky, focusing on any large shadow. It wasn't until she was quite a few meters into the forest that she saw his dangling foot. Her eyes scanned up his leg, then to his torso. Harry's back was to her as he watched her normal route.

Ginny grinned. Watching the ground for any possible noise-makers, she slowly made her way to his hiding spot. She waited until she was directly under him to give his trouser leg a sharp tug.

Everything happened at once. Harry let out a sharp gasp as his body leaned towards her pull. He fell sideways off his branch, landing on the ground with a loud thud.

"Shit!" Ginny crouched, helping him sit up. Her hands covered his body checking for broken bones. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you -"

Her panicked apology was cut off by his laughter. Harry brushed off her scrutinizing hands as he rose to his feet. "You certainly found me."

Ginny shook her head, her raising heart rate starting to slow. "Well, you never seem to change your hiding spot. Always up in a tree."

"But it's a different tree," Harry defended, his hands brushing off dirt from his knees. "Wait." He held one hand in a _stop _motion. "Are you saying I've lost my touch?"

"I mean -" Ginny let her words fall off with a _well if the shoe fits_ shrug.

Harry stared at her for a solid ten seconds before moving with the speed of a hungry lion. His arms came around her, lifting her feet from the ground. Ginny let out a squeal of surprise before she wrapped her legs around his waist. Harry proceeded to push her against the trunk of a large oak.

His lips pressed to hers in a hard kiss. It didn't take long for Ginny to get over her initial shock. She laced her arms across the back of his neck, returning his attention with enthusiasm.

Ginny lost track of time as she and Harry focused all their senses on each other. She wasn't sure who made the first move to remove clothing, but the next thing she knew her button-up blouse was open, letting in a cool breeze.

Harry's lips wandered away from hers, down to her neck, down to her chest. Ginny arched against him as his attention focused on her breasts.

"Where is Aunt Ginny?" Victoire's loud voice only slightly broke through the fog Harry had created. It wasn't until Bill's deep tone followed that Ginny remembered what they were supposed to be doing.

"I'm guessing she's finishing finding Uncle Harry. How about we head to the house and start making lunch? It will be the best hiding spot ever. She'll never think to look there."

Victoire's response was muffled as they moved back towards the house. Harry's eyes met hers, the usual green much darker .

"Did Bill just give us an excuse to be alone for longer?" Harry starting trailed his lips up her neck. "Because that's what I heard."

"You always seem to hear what you want to, even if it's the opposite of what someone said." Ginny smiled as his lips pressed to hers.

"It's another skill of mine."

"Another? What are some of the others?"

"How about this?" Harry's lips slid off hers and trailed down her bare skin back to her chest.

Ginny let out a breathy sigh. "A man of _many _talents."

"And I'll be more than happy to bestow you with said skills anytime you want."

"Is that so?" Ginny ran her fingers along the nape of his neck. "Well, I can't pass on such an educational offer. There is a lovely treehouse not too far from here. The perfect spot to display your expertise."

Harry lowered her slowly to the ground. Ginny felt _every_ hard muscle as she skimmed down his body. His hand slid into hers, lacing their fingers. "It will be a _pleasure_, for both of us."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry watched Ginny show Victoire how to hold one of their chickens on their farm. Seeing Ginny and Vic smile so brightly made his heart full. _His family_. Something he had never had, but always wanted. It was strange to think how he'd gained a family while most people lost theirs.

"That looks good." Bill's voice drew Harry's eyes back to the dinner he was preparing: roast chicken and vegetables from the garden.

"I hope it will be." Harry wiped his hands on the flannel next to the cutting board. "I grew some basil and I think it should add a little something to the chicken."

"Anything I can do to help?"

Harry shook his head. "No, not really. I just finished cutting everything up. All that's left is letting the fire cook it all up."

"Good. Good." Bill shuffled his feet slightly. "Harry?"

"Hm?"

"I wanted to thank you."

Harry turned to look at the older man. He had an emotional look to his dark blue eyes. "For what?" Harry was afraid Bill might start crying.

Bill cleared his throat. "For being there - for me and Vic. And Ginny."

"Oh." Harry felt his face heat. He'd never have expected Bill want to talk about... something like this. "Of course. I care about all of you."

"I know. It's just... it would have been so much harder to raise Victoire without you and Ginny. After Fleur." Bill choked up for a moment before clearing his throat again. "Thank you."

Harry rubbed the back of his neck. This was not his forte. He wasn't good at talking about things like this, as Ginny'd pointed out a million times. But another thing Ginny had told him was that a lot of people liked hearing how he felt about a situation. He took a deep breath. _Fuck it_.

"Without you and Vic... I don't honestly know what would have happened to me and Gin. London was a shit show. Being out here..." Harry glanced back at the girls. "It's so simple and perfect. Even after all this time, it still feels like a dream."

Bill moved closer to the window. "I know what you mean. Out here... it's the middle of nowhere and no one bugs us. It's safer than anywhere else out there." Harry saw a small smile form on Bill's lips. "This is the kind of life I would have wanted for Victoire. A simple life where everyone around her loves her."

Harry smiled as Ginny threw the chicken up into the air. Victoire loved watching the bird flap wildly back to the ground. "Yeah, she deserves it."

Bill thumped Harry on the back. "You and Gin deserve it, too. I don't think I've ever said it, but you two are good for each other."

"It only took you five years to say it out loud." Harry turned to Bill, meeting his gaze. "Thank you."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ginny stared at Harry. "You mean to tell me you set this whole thing up so you could take me for a romantic picnic by the water?"

Harry grinned at her. He was rather proud of this one. "That's right. It wasn't too hard to convince Victoire that a beach day would be fun."

It _really _hadn't been difficult to get the family to travel to the seaside. He had spent the last few days chatting to Victoire how much fun building sandcastles and running through the waves would be. Two days later, Bill had his daughter attached to his leg, begging to go to the beach. In Harry's mind, it was a win-win: Vic was getting to play in the water and Harry would be getting to _play_ with Ginny. So the small family loaded up into the beat up old Range Rover they kept for far trips. It was only an hour long car ride, so naturally Vic spent the whole time cheering loudly about all the fun things she was gonna do.

Really, the only tricky step had been setting up the blanket and food without Ginny noticing. He had found a tall group of dunes and used them like a wall. While Ginny buried Victoire in the sand, Harry had assembled his surprise.

He had packed all of Ginny's favorites, well, at least the favorites that he'd been able to find over the past few weeks. _Yes_...he had been working on this for longer than those few days of whispering into Victoire's ear about the surprise.

"What's the occasion?" Ginny asked as she took a seat on the blanket.

"Does there need to be one?" Harry asked. "A glass of our finest distilled water, darling."

Ginny laughed, her smile wide and bright just like Harry wanted. He handed her a canteen of water before reaching into the rucksack for the chicken legs he'd cooked the previous night in preparation for their lunch.

"Well, look at you." Ginny gave him a crooked smile. "You've got everything a girl could ask for. Good food, a comfy spot, a great _view_." She winked at him.

"It's even better up close." Harry crawled from his side of the blanket, hovering his body over hers. His lips rested a millimeter above hers. "And it gets even better when you touch it."

Ginny closed the gap between them, her fingers coming up to tangle in his untidy hair. Harry was more than happy to lose himself in her. The way she felt against him, how her lips pressed to his.

If Harry had it his way, this would be the only thing he ever did. After seven years it still was the best thing in the world.

"Whatcha doin'?" Victoire's innocent voice brought Harry out of his utopia.

He pulled away, only far enough to look up into the big blue eyes of his goddaughter. "Hi, Vic."

"Hi." Her head was cocked to the side. "Why are you and Aunt Ginny over here snogging?"

Ginny pushed Harry from her chest, much to his displeasure. "Hi, luv. Uncle Harry and I were just... enjoying the weather."

"By kissin'?" Victoire asked, her face scrunched in disgust.

"It's how - uh adults enjoy the weather, yes." Ginny rolled over onto her knees before rising from the blanket. "And now that you're here we can enjoy the sunny day another way."

Victoire perked up. "How?"

"How about -" Ginny paused for dramatic effect, which worked perfectly on Vic. She was shaking like an excited dog. Ginny reached out and tapped the little girl's shoulder. "Tag, you're it!"

Before Victoire could do more than blink, Ginny was gone. Harry watched her sprint towards the water, her plaited red hair bouncing off her back.

"No fair!" Vic yelled after her aunt. When her attention flickered towards Harry, he knew what was coming.

"Hol -" He tried to stand, but Victoire tagged him on the arm.

"You're it, Uncle Harry!"

Harry shook his head as he rose. Vic had taken off towards her father who stood laughing at the edge of the ocean, clearly enjoying that his daughter had broken up the private _lunch_. Ginny stood fifty meters down the coast from her brother, her smile as bright and beautiful as the sun behind her.

The choice was a no brainer. Harry couldn't re-tag Victoire (those were the rules and he refused to be a cheater), so once he was steady on his feet, he took off after Ginny.

Ginny's eyes widened as he came at her, full throttle. Her feet stuck in the sand for a moment, and then she started to run. That little bit of difficulty was all Harry needed. He caught up to her after a minute, his hands wrapping around her waist, pulling her back to him.

Harry moved his lips right next to her ear. "You're it."

"Is that so?" Ginny asked, her face tilted to look at him.

"_Always_." Harry kissed her once before releasing her and running off towards Bill.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Good job, Vic!" Ginny cheered as the birthday girl kicked the football across the lawn. Victoire pumped her fist in the air in celebration. It had been the first time all day that she had gotten the ball across the gap between them.

A few days before Victoire's birthday, Ginny and Harry had gone in search of an inflated football. It had taken the better part of four hours, but it was worth it. Victoire was having so much fun. Hell, even Ginny was having a blast!

"Next time try dribbling it closer to me before passing it!" Ginny told the girl as she bopped the ball back.

Victoire nodded enthusiastically. It took a few moments for her to get her footing right, but eventually she moved forward with the ball.

Ginny beamed as Victoire pulled her foot back in a hard kick. Instead of just rolling to a stop in front of Ginny like the last time, the ball took flight and came up to Ginny's knee.

"Nice!" Bill clapped from his spot on the porch. He had been meaning to fix the crooked step for the last few days, and finally, the weather permitted an opportunity.

Victoire looked back at her dad, her whole body wiggling in excitement. "It even went up in the air. Did you see?"

"I sure did, sweetheart!"

Ginny waited until Victoire was looking at her before passing the ball back. "Hey, Bill, have you seen Harry?"

"Last I knew he was checking the traps in the river."

"He's really hoping to do a fry up. The number of times he's told me how much he misses fish and -" Ginny's final word was cut short as the air was knocked from her lungs. Victoire had kicked the ball when she wasn't looking, this time getting more air and hitting Ginny in the center of her chest.

"Ginny!" Bill dropped his hammer and ran out towards them. Victoire had started crying, noticing Bill's tone and Ginny's pained expression. Ginny waved Bill off with the hand that hadn't come up to clutch at her chest.

Bill hesitated before turning his attention to his crying daughter. He picked up the sobbing little girl, his large hand running smooth circles along her back.

Ginny focused on getting her breath back. _Fuck_ that had hurt. Her chest felt as if it had been hit by a sack of brinks rather than a football. Why the fuck had it hurt so much?

She rubbed the spot where the ball had collided, hoping it would soothe some of the pain, like Bill was doing for Victoire. The more she thought about it, Ginny's chest had hurt all day. This was a different kind of sore, but it had escalated whatever else had been plaguing her throughout the day.

Bill walked over, Victoire hiding her face in the collar of his shirt. "You all right, Ginny?"

"Yeah." Ginny placed her hand on Victoire's back. "I'm fine, luv. It just hurt for a moment. I'll be right in a jiffy."

Victoire half turned out of her father's chest. Tears still trailing down her cheek. "I'm sorry."

"I know." Ginny took the little girl out of Bill's arms and kissed away the moisture. "How about we go inside and see if Uncle Harry is back?"

Vic nodded, sniffling a little. Ginny put her down in the grass. "I'll race ya."

It took a second for Victoire to understand the challenge, but the moment she did her little feet were moving. Bill smiled at his daughter's back before glancing over at Ginny. "You sure you're okay? You looked in a lot of pain."

Ginny nodded, rubbing her chest a few more times before walking towards the back door. "Yeah, I've just been sore all day. Must have slept wrong or something."

Bill kept pace with her. "I'm sure that's it. So, do you think Harry did catch something?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry leaned against the doorjamb, watching Ginny brush her teeth. They had set up a basin of water for teething brushing. Little Victoire had taken her turn, still running high from being the birthday girl. Bill had taken her up the stairs, hoping that a couple of books would send her to sleep.

Ginny spit the homemade toothpaste out of her mouth. "You know I can share, right?"

"What if I don't wanna share?" Harry moved behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist as he pressed light kisses up her neck. "What if I want you all for myself?"

"That could be arranged." Ginny put her toothbrush down on the counter and spun in his arms. Her arms circled his neck, fingers threading through his hair. "But you do know it's rather hypocritical of us to tell Victorie she has to share when you won't even -"

Harry cut her reprimand off the most effective way he knew. Ginny didn't seem to mind. She arched into him, her lips pressing harder to his.

"How about -" Ginny spoke between kisses, "we take - this upstairs?"

Harry didn't think a verbal response was necessary. He lowered his hand slowly down from her waist to her legs. In a fluid motion, he lifted her into his arms. Ginny kept her arms wrapped around his neck as he carried them up the stairs into their room.

He plopped her onto the bed in an unceremonious gesture, crawling over her and reattaching his lips to her skin.

"Look at you, the promise of a shag and you become a caveman." Ginny laughed.

"You'd become a caveman, too, if you know what it was like to shag you." Harry sat up and pulled his t-shirt over his head, before going for the hem of hers. Her completely exposed torso teased him as she sucked in a deep breath. His mouth instantly dropped to her bare midriff. He took his time, moving his lips slowly up past her ribs.

When he reached her breasts, her breath hitched and she winced. "Harry, wait."

He pulled back, his eyes meeting hers. Her face was scrunched in pain. "Gin?"

"I -" She let out a long exhale. "I took a ball to the chest today and it's a little sore."

"I'd say more than a little sore." Harry's eyes dropped back to her chest. "they're swollen."

"Swollen?" Ginny sat up, pushing Harry off her.

He fell back to his side of the bed. "Yeah. I noticed that - uh - they're _larger_ than normal, but I didn't know they hurt. Not that I was staring at your chest or something. It was just an -"

Ginny clearly wasn't listening to his ramble. She had moved to the mirror over the dresser, her body turned in a side profile. "Harry, my chest was sore before Vic hit me with the football."

"Okay." Harry sat up, positioning his pillow behind him so it was between him and headboard.

Ginny turned towards him and at that moment Harry knew things were about to become much less simple. "Harry, my breasts are sore, they're larger, and I couldn't stand the smell of your soup a few nights ago."

Harry nodded, remembering how Ginny had run from the room when he had brought out his chicken soup. "Okay."

"Harry." Ginny's tone became one of forced calm used on a child who just wasn't understanding what was being said. "I think I may be pregnant."


	10. Third Act Love Now

**So… here we go! TheDistantDusk, Arnel, and gryffindormischief have been amazing throughout this story and I owe them a lot. **

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ginny bit her bottom lip as Harry ran across the street. His footsteps seemed louder in the eerie morning silence. The gas can tied to his rucksack bumped his back as he moved.

"It's gonna be fine, Ginny." Bill's large hand started rubbing soothing circles on her back. "We'll figure this all out."

"I just -" Ginny didn't know what to say or hell what to think. Over the last two weeks, she and Harry had watched for any sign that she wasn't pregnant, but the more time that passed, the more certain Ginny became. She hadn't realized she'd been two weeks late for her monthly that day Victorie hit her in the chest.

Now, here they were at the abandoned hospital filling up petrol cans in order to fuel a generator. They needed a generator in order to check and see if there truly was a baby growing inside her.

_A baby_.

Ginny's head spun from the word. _Baby._ It was a word she never thought she'd hear in a practical sense again. Kind of like _typewriter_ or _chastity belt_. A baby wasn't something fit for the current world.

_If she'd had a chastity belt she wouldn't be in this fucking situation. _Ginny's over sarcastic inner voice was on a roll today. That wasn't the only thing on a roll. Her stomach felt as if she were on a constant rollercoaster. Ginny couldn't figure out if it was nerves or morning sickness.

_Another tally mark to the pregnant column._

Harry opened the gas lid to an old beater truck. He used a tube to siphon the fuel.

"Ginny." Bill pulled her attention back to him. "Have you and Harry talked about everything yet?"

Talking had been the one thing they hadn't done. After that night, three weeks ago, when Ginny said the P-word, she and Harry had dodged the topic like the plague. They still acted like themselves;nothing in their physical relationship had changed. Harry would still wrap his arm over her shoulders at the dinner table, and she would still spoon him as they fell asleep, though their sex life had hit a steep decline. But it was their conversations that seemed to change the most. It was like they were on train tracks, refusing to defer to any other rail. The word _baby_ was another rail, and hadn't been mentioned with both of them in the same room until Bill demanded they head to the hospital for testing.

No, Ginny had turned to Bill for all her baby concerns. Her brother instantly came to her aid, comforting her as she cried, talked to her as she panicked, and helped her plan how to check on the wellbeing of her unborn child.

She knew it wasn't a good thing that she and Harry didn't discuss things, but when she'd discussed her suspicions, Harry had shut down. He had sat frozen on their bed, his eyes glazed over. At first, Ginny had thought he was in shock, that Harry was just trying to mentally process the information. But he didn't mention it again, and she was too afraid of the topic herself to try and bring it back up to him.

"_Ginny_." Bill's tone was sympathetic. "You two need to talk about this. It's not just gonna go away."

"What happened when Fleur told you she was pregnant?" Ginny asked. She didn't look at her brother, rather keeping her eyes on Harry as he moved onto another vehicle in hopes of finding more fuel.

"I was a wreck. I couldn't eat or sleep. My mind kept on running through the logistics of having a baby in a world where there wasn't formula." Bill's hand came to Ginny's chin and forced her to look at him. "But Fleur pulled my head out of my arse and made me talk to her about everything going on in my head. She was afraid too, but talking about it helped us start to understand our reality."

Ginny sighed, pushing Bill's hand away. She couldn't look at him. It was easier to stare at her shoes. "I get what you're _saying_, but -"

"But nothing!" His tone was so sharp it made Ginny look up. This is your reality now, Ginny. You need to think about you and your baby."

_Your baby_.

Ginny's stomach fluttered at the words. Her baby. Hers and Harry's baby. She had thought about it over the years, of course. The idea of having a baby with Harry was natural. She had grown up in a large family and had always liked kids, so why wouldn't she want one of her own? If it hadn't been for that little plague she and Harry would probably be married with a couple of kids at this point.

But Ginny never considered bringing a baby into this fucked up world. She and Harry had even discussed it years ago.

Both she and Harry had agreed that they never wanted to let a child of theirs possibly suffer and in the current climate… No, they hadn't wanted to risk it. And yet, here she was.

They tried their best to be safe, but when Ginny reflected on the past few months there had been times when in the heat of the moment...

_Fuck_.

Harry came back, his arm lowered to the ground as he carried the now-full petrol can. "I think this should be enough for a bit."

Bill nodded. "Great, I'll get Vic. Why don't you two head inside? It's on the first floor. There are signs everywhere." He gave Ginny a pointed look as he moved off to where Victoire sat playing with a doll he found her.

Ginny looked at Harry. His eyes were downcast as he gestured at the door. "You ready?"

She took a deep breath. "Wait a second, Harry."

He stopped midstep, petrol in the can sloshing around. Harry looked around at her, his gaze holding something she couldn't quite place. "Yeah?"

"Harry." A hand unconsciously came up and ran through her hair, "Are -"

She didn't know what to say. This wasn't a situation she'd ever imagined herself being in. Pregnant in an apocalypse, with an emotionally distant baby-daddy, and (to top it all off) her emotions had a mind of their own. Just the other day she'd cried over Vic's broken toy and ended up being comforted by her little niece.

Ginny swallowed before trying again. "Are we okay? I know this isn't quite what we - planned."

Harry licked his lips, his eyes flickering between hers and her stomach. His silence created more butterflies in her gut. Finally, he put the can down and moved in close, his arms banding around her waist. "You and I are always okay, Gin." His lips pressed to her temple. "I - it's just a lot."

"I know." Ginny's body relaxed under his touch. Her head came to rest on his chest, his heartbeat sounds in her ears. She hadn't realized how tense she'd been."It's a lot for me too."

Neither of them moved for a moment. Ginny didn't realize how desperately she had needed this. This wasn't like the automatic embraces they had shared over the last month. It didn't feel forced and awkward. This was _them_. A real embrace.

Harry let out a deep breath through his nose, ruffling her hair. "We best get going." He pulled back, hesitated for a moment before kissing her lightly. "I love you."

The fist that had been locked around Ginny's heart seemed to lessen. She cradled his face in both her hands, bringing their lips back together. It wasn't a kiss of passion or heat, but one of understanding. "I love you too."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry watched in amazement as Bill worked the complex equipment. At first he'd forgotten that Bill had done this exact thing years previously with his wife. The ultrasound machine felt like a rocket ship to Harry, yet Bill moved smoothly around the device.

Ginny rested on the recently dusted old hospital cot, her eyes following every move Bill made. Harry still couldn't believe they were sitting in a room running a generator in order to verify if Ginny was pregnant.

_Pregnant._

The word still sounded foreign to him even after repeating it in his head for a month. Ginny, his best friend, and lover was pregnant with his child. He couldn't believe it. They'd always used condoms. He even carried one in his pocket in case things got heated outside of their bedroom (which it seemed to quite frequently). But then there had been a few times where he hadn't had a chance to restock his emergency protection and things had already escalated… No, in hindsight, it wasn't such a shock that Ginny was potentially pregnant.

"So now I need to use this gel stuff on your stomach." Bill held up a bottle with a clear substance. "Lift your shirt up, Ginny, please."

Ginny took a deep breath as she did what she was told. She shivered as the gel touched her bare skin. "_Fuck_ that's cold."

Victoire looked up from her chair, the doll she had been rocking back and forth freezing. "Aunt Ginny, you said a bad word!"

Ginny had the grace to look abashed. "I know. I'm sorry, Vic. I'll watch my language."

Bill laughed. "All right, now that we've had our grammar discussion, how about we have our health lesson." He pulled the wand from its holder and pressed it lightly into Ginny's stomach.

Harry watched the screen, not truly understanding what he was looking at. To him, it was just a black and white screen, but Bill nodded thoughtfully.

"So right here." Bill pointed to a large air pocket. "That is your baby."

Ginny's breath hitched. Harry squinted at the screen. It took him a moment to find what Bill was pointing at. In the air pocket was a small bean-like figure.

That bean-like thing was his child. Harry felt his heart start to race as he lowered himself into the chair beside Ginny's bed. _His_ child. _His_ baby to protect from the world. Harry's lungs strained to get air. Should he be able to feel every atom in his body?

Ginny's hand reached out and gripped his, squeezing hard. Harry turned to look at her. Her brown eyes bore into his. She was trying to comfort him. Shouldn't it be him comforting _her_?

Harry forced his breathing to slow down. He could feel his heart rate slowing as he focused on Ginny. She was his rock, and she was what he needed to concentrate on.

Without taking her eyes off of Harry, Ginny directed her words at Bill. "Can you figure out how far along we are."

_We are_.

Harry tried to ignore the goose pimples that started shooting down his neck and back. The phrasing wasn't lost on him. They were in this together. For some reason at her words, his lungs didn't feel as if there was a lead pipe stabbed through them. His whole body felt more relaxed.

Bill looked between a medical textbook and the monitor. He flipped back and forth between a few pages. " To show up this well… I'd say you have to be at least twelve weeks."

"Okay, and does everything look..." Ginny licked her lips as she paused. "Look _right_?"

"Based on what I'm seeing in the book." Bill looked up from the textbook and smiled. "I'd say everything is in order."

Ginny squeezed Harry's hand again. Her breath came out in a slow exhale. "Good."

When Ginny had told him she thought she may be pregnant, Harry's head jumped to millions of bad possibilities. Miscarriage, stillbirth, a problem for _Ginny_ during birth. Not once had his imagination focused on just the baby. As he looked at the screen his subconscious started playing with different scenarios, but instead of the world on fire variety, Harry imagined holding his child. His black hair, Ginny's brown eyes, freckles sprinkled across a tiny nose.

Harry's chest constricted again, but this time he knew it wasn't a panic attack. This was what it was like to love someone so much it hurts. It was the same feeling he felt whenever Ginny was in danger. Like he couldn't live if something were to happen.

"Harry?"

He tore his eyes off the screen to look at Ginny. Her brow was creased in concern as she spoke again. "Are you okay?"

He swallowed hard. Was he okay? That was a loaded question at the moment. Harry couldn't find the words to tell her how much she meant to him. How much this _all _meant to him. So instead he nodded and squeezed her hand, hoping it expressed a minute amount of what he was feeling.

Bill started pressing some buttons on the machine. "Give me a second and we can hear the heartbeat.

Ginny turned her attention to her brother. "Really?"

"Yeah, just give me a moment." Bill flipped a switch on the machine before placing the wand back onto Ginny's still bare stomach. He moved it around for a moment until Harry heard it. Harry's heart seemed to stutter as he listened. It was like a stampede of wildebeest, wild and fast, but steady and alive. Oh, _so_ alive.

If Harry thought he was in love by just the sight...

Ginny's breath came out in shaky puffs. Harry brought his free hand up to her cheek, turning her face towards him. Her eyes were bright, but the smile on her lips was one of joy. He bent forward and pressed his lips to hers. When he broke away, Harry leaned his forehead against hers.

Bill's voice seemed to come from a distance; all of Harry's senses were hyper focused on Ginny. "I'm going to see if I can't find some supplies around here. Come on, Vic."

Harry barely heard their retreating footsteps. Ginny let out a long sigh. "Harry, I -" Her voice choked as she blinked rapidly. "I never realized -" The words just couldn't seem to come out.

Harry didn't need her to speak. He understood just what she meant.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ginny spit the rest of the toothpaste out before wiping her mouth. She had been sick every morning around the same time for the last two weeks. The only saving grace to being ill at the same time was being able to find a private place to vomit.

Well, there was another saving grace - and that was Harry. After their visit to the hospital, Harry had become an ever-attentive, doting boyfriend. He was there holding her hair back every time she vomited, getting her snacks the moment her stomach rumbled, and he fawned over her baby bump.

_The baby bump_.

That was still weird to her. Every time she looked down she could see physical proof of their baby. And every time she looked down, twin jolts of fear and excitement coursed through her.

She never expected to feel this way. In her mind, the door for babies had been closed when the city of London created walls to "protect" the citizens from Morsmordre. That had been the end to normality. There was no more worrying about studies, shopping, or even going out with friends. So the idea of having a baby... Ginny never imagined it.

But now, she couldn't fathom not having a baby. _This_ baby. She already loved him or her more than she thought possible, and she knew Harry felt the same way from the way he spoke to the bump. Not to mention the way he was with her. Every time he looked at her, his affection was almost palpable.

"Gin?" Harry's arms wrapped around her body, his hands coming to rest on the bump. His breath tickled her skin. "Do you need anything?"

She leaned back, loving the feeling of his warmth. "No, I'm fine now."

His thumbs started to move in small circles across her stomach. "Okay, well if anything changes, let me know."

Ginny spun in his arms, her hands running up the sides of his neck and into his hair. "I have everything I need right here."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Ready or not, here I come!" Victoire's high-pitched girlish giggle bounced off the trees as she ran into the woods. She was the seeker this time in their little game of hide and seek, and Harry was determined to remain hidden the longest. From his position in the low hanging tree branch, Vic would have to look up in order to find him

He glanced up at the sky. Through the forest canopy, he could see the darkening clouds. A storm was coming, and based on the sky, it was a doozy. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to try and stay out long.

Harry could see Ginny from his post. She was sitting on the ground with her back against a large rock. Her jumper covered her growing belly. Every time he looked at her, Harry was amazed at how her body had changed. He'd always thought the saying that a pregnant woman glowed was ludicrous. No one actually glowed, but Ginny did. She looked radiant.

_Footsteps_. Harry tore his eyes away from Ginny to look down at little Vic. Her little head moved like a bobblehead when placed on the dashboard of a car and taken on a bumpy back road. She looked every which way, not truly taking in her surroundings.

Rain started to fall down in little spurts, landing on his nose and cheeks. A clap of thunder sounded off in the distance. _Fuck,_ that was closer than Harry had expected. Things changed instantaneously. The sprinkle changed into fat raindrops and then was a downpour.

_Okay, game time was over. _Harry hopped down from his branch, landing on the balls of his feet. Vic, who had stopped in order to look up at the dark sky turned her attention to him.

"Hey, Vic you found me!" Harry yelled it over the sound of rain smacking the tops of the trees. The wind had picked up and was blowing dead leaves every which way. "Let's go find the others."

Ginny popped out from her spot. "Ah, I've been found!" She walked over to them. "Come on, Vic I bet I know where your dad is."

Victoire followed her aunt, her eyes flicking up towards upwards at every loud clap of thunder. Bill was right where Ginny had expected, coming for them. His footsteps were hurried as he approached.

Again everything seemed to happen instantaneously. Harry saw white out of the corner of his eye. When he turned towards the motion, the thunder boomed above him at the same moment a large tree came tumbling down. Harry only had a second to react. Victoire was standing right where the log would land. He pulled the little girl towards him while stepping backward.

The tree landed hard on the ground with a terrifying smack. Victoire started crying, clutching at Harry. He picked her up and held her close to his chest. He tried to look over enormous tree trunk, but it was too tall. Where had Bill been standing? What about Ginny?

"Ginny!" Harry's voice cracked. He cleared his throat before trying again. "Ginny!"

"Harry!" Ginny yelled from her side of the barricade. "I'm fine. We're fine. Do you have Vic?"

"Yeah." Harry rubbed the little girl's back. "I have her. I'm gonna get her back to the house."

"See you there."

Harry turned to his left and started to jog down the path Ginny normally took when she was hunting in hide and seek. It was the most direct path to the cottage. It only took him a few minutes to reach the safety of their home, even with Vic in his arms.

He walked through the back door and gently disentangled Victoire from his neck, placing her on the countertop. Tear tracks had mixed with the dampness of the rain on her cheeks.

"Vic, I need you to be super good and stay right here. I need to go find your dad and Aunt Ginny." Harry kissed her forehead before turning towards the door.

He could hear Victoire sobbing behind him, but at that moment it was more vital to find the others than comfort the little girl. There was no way in hell he wanted to comfort Vic if something were to happen to her dad or aunt.

Right as he was about to barrel through the back door, Bill charged in. His long hair plastered to his face. "Vic!" Bill ran to his daughter, hauling her into his arms. Victoire started crying harder. "It's all right, love."

Harry's heart sank into his stomach. There was Bill, but where was... "Bill, where's Ginny?"

Bill took a second to tear his attention from his daughter. He looked over at Harry, his eyes unfocused. "Huh? She was right behind me."

_Breathe._ Harry's brain repeated the word over and over until his body followed the command. His feet moved to the exit, no thoughts running through his mind than to find Ginny and breathe.

He stopped dead on the porch. Ginny was standing by the railing, her eyes to the sky.

_Breathe_. Harry's body shook slightly as he approached her. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing his body as close to hers as possible. "Jesus, Ginny." His voice sounded as if he's swallowed a jar of sand.

Ginny turned in his arms, her back now pressed to the railing. Her stomach creating more space between them than he wanted. "Harry?"

"I -" He choked. Rather than try and speak again he pressed his nose into her neck, inhaling the scent that was so Ginny. If he hadn't ever smelt it again...

She rubbed his back, holding him close. "It's all right, love. I'm fine. _We're _fine."

Harry swallowed hard, letting the words sink in. They were fine. She and the baby were fine. Rather than step back, Harry indulged himself for a few more moments. While the storm raged, Harry held his family close.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry set the plate and a canteen of water the nightside table as he pulled back the blankets. Ginny was still taking her turn in the makeshift shower Bill had created. If there wasn't an actual concern about wasting water, Harry would have been right there with her. But instead, he figured getting their bed ready was better than nothing.

In Harry's opinion, Ginny deserved everything and then the moon. She was going through a pregnancy without any medical care and doing it with so much poise. No matter how many times she was sick, how her feet swelled, or copious amounts of heartburn she faced, Ginny never complained.

"Hey, Harry?" Ginny called him from the hall. She entered the bedroom, her stomach now the first part of her to enter any room. Harry moved over to her. He wanted to place his hand on the small of her back, but he resisted. Ginny had already told him off for being _over _helpful. In her words, she could, "walk across a flat surface without help, thank you very much."

Ginny smiled at him as he stopped in front of her. "Was there any more of that chicken from dinner?"

Harry pressed a quick kiss to her the corner of her mouth. "Yes, I placed it on your bedside table."

"Really?" Ginny's brow creased. She peered around him to confirm his claim. "How did you know I was going to ask?"

"Call it a father's intuition." Harry walked beside her as Ginny took a seat on the edge of the mattress.

She pulled the plate into her lap before turning to Harry. "Impressive work, dear."

Harry shrugged, "I know my -" He paused, unsure of the right word. _Girlfriend_ sounded stupid after everything they'd been through. Lover was accurate but also still wasn't all she was to him. And they weren't married so...

He licked his lips. Ginny hadn't seemed to notice his hesitation. Her focus had dropped to the chicken leg on her plate. Even while devouring food like a starving wolf, Ginny was still the most beautiful woman to Harry. It still amazed him that she was with him, that she was having his child.

"Gin?" at Harry's voice Ginny tore her eyes from her plate.

She licked the remaining juices off her lips,another action Harry found too perfect. "Yeah?"

"Would you marry me?"

Her brow creased as she absorbed his question. "What?" She put her plate aside. "Marry you?"

Harry nodded. He pulled her now empty hand into his and brought it up to his lips. "Everything has only been making sense because of you. Without you-" He cleared his throat, hoping to finish his explanation before losing his nerve completely. "You and the baby mean everything to me. I know it sounds foolish when there are no more churches or government, but I want to call you my wife."

Ginny's gaze was soft. "You and I... Harry we're _it_." She adjusted herself so she was facing him. Her stomach creating the only space between them. Her free hand coming up to cup his jaw. "You could call me your wife, lover, best friend... because they're all true." She leaned up and kissed him. A slow, meaningful, kiss that promised more. "In my mind, we've been married for years. I mean, I wouldn't get knocked up by _just _anyone."

She was right, of course, and Harry loved her even more for it. They didn't need anyone or anything to say how they felt for each other. Fuck, the baby growing inside Ginny right at that moment was evidence enough of their feelings for each other.

He brought his forehead to hers, the feeling of her breath warming his skin. "Gin, you're the best part of me. You and this baby."

Ginny gave him another lingering kiss. "Shouldn't I be the overly hormonal one, love?"

Harry chuckled. "I figured I'd take a turn. Can't let you have all the fun, right?"

Ginny pulled back, her lips turned up in a mischievous smile. "Speaking of _fun_..." She trailed her finger up his jaw. "I could use some of your _special pleasure_."

"Oh yeah?" Harry's body instantly responded to her words. As he got ready to crawl over her, Ginny slid back so she was resting her back against the headboard.

Her feet came up from the floor and wiggled in his face. "A foot rub for your lover sounds so satisfying, doesn't it?"

Harry knew his face must have the sappiest, lovesick smile, _but fuck_, he was _so_ in love with her. "Sounds enchanting, my love."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ginny closed her eyes. She was always tired, it seemed. Every day she needed a nap just to make it to bedtime.

No one seemed to mind her lethargy. Quite the contrary, Harry loved curling up beside her, whether it be to sleep or read a novel. Victoire (who was too old for naps) would play with her doll beside Ginny. Yet somehow, it was always time for the doll's nap, and Victoire would end up sleeping with the baby.

But today's nap was not happening. Harry's spawn (she refused to call it her baby when it was acting out) was having a penalty shot challenge using her bladder as the ball. No matter what position Ginny lay in, the baby would move so much that she couldn't even come close to sleep. So rather than a soothing hour of shut-eye, Ginny had lain awake craving sleep more than anything else.

"Gin?" Harry's quiet voice broke through the silence of the room as if he had a bullhorn.

Ginny grunted. Words were too much of a challenge for her at that moment. They took too much effort. Harry didn't speak again. Instead, she could hear his footsteps on the old wooden floor. She felt his body weigh down the mattress.

Harry's body spooned into her back as his arm banded over her hip. His hand came to rest on her stomach.

"Can't sleep?" His tone was remnant of his goodnights to Victoire, a lullaby to her tired mind. His fingers started rubbing smooth circles on the center of her extended stomach.

It was as if Harry's actions and voice called time out. The baby that had once been bouncing in its home stopped entirely.

"I don't know what magical powers you possess, but keep it up." Ginny closed her eyes, loving every second of the peace.

Harry let out a low chuckle, his fingers continuing their motion. "I can start saying some spells if it would help."

"I'm willing to give anything a try. After your _spawn -"_

"_Our _spawn," Harry interrupted, his nose nuzzling into the back of her neck.

Ginny ignored his correction, but smiled all the same. "Kept me up all last night, and now won't let me have my daily nap."

"And you think me talking will calm the baby down?"

"Just pretend to be telling a bedtime story." Ginny scooted further into his warmth. "Tell me a story about you and Ron."

"Me and Ron?" Harry let out a little sigh, his breath keeping her neck warm. "Okay - er - have I ever told you about the time we were stuck in the girl's locker room in secondary?"

"What?" Ginny rose slightly, turning her head to look at him. "No! And now I'm upset I've never heard it before."

Harry kissed the tip of her nose. "Lay back down, close your eyes, and I'll tell you and the baby all about it."

She did as he said. Ginny had always felt safe in his arms, but mix that with Harry's soothing tone and gentle caresses, she was out like an old electric light.

Ginny woke to loud voices downstairs. She opened her eyes, feeling groggy. Harry had left , more than likely to deal with the commotion. After picking up her dressing gown from the end of the bed, Ginny hurried out of the room- well _waddled_, at this rate.

Once she reached the last step, Ginny was thrown for a loop. She had expected to see Bill and Harry fighting some grisly group of gangsters. But instead, she walked in on Bill hugging a tall man while Harry sat on the arm of the couch, his brow furrowed.

"I can't believe you're here!" Bill broke free of the stranger, slapping him hard on the back.

The visitor beamed at Bill. "I can't believe _you're_ here." Bells started ringing in Ginny's head. She knew that voice... but why? "I never would have guessed. I just saw the cottage and thought it would be nice to see someone, but I never guessed it would be you, Billy."

"Billy?" Ginny spoke without thinking. Everyone turned to look at her. Harry's expression shifted from confusion to delight.

Harry moved over to her, his coming around her waist. He kissed her temple. "You didn't get much sleep."

Ginny rolled her eyes affectionately. As much as she hated mother-hen Harry, she loved it. "I needed to come and see who _Billy_ was chatting with."

Bill chuckled. "Ginny, this is my old mate, Phil."

Phil's pearly white teeth reminded Ginny of a shark. "Last time I saw you, Ginny, you were a wee little thing."

"Oh, we've met before?"

"Yeah, I came 'round your parents a few times over the years. I even had a tea party with you."

Ginny couldn't figure out why Phil's smile sent shivers down her spine. It wasn't forced, more like he was a kid alone in a candy shop and he planned to rob the place.

Phil had turned his attention back to Bill, who was offering him a drink in the kitchen. Ginny looked up at Harry. His brow was furrowed as he watched Phil retreat into the kitchen. "You don't trust him either, do you, Harry?"

Harry's hand on her waist squeezed a little tighter than necessary. "Not one bit."


	11. Let's Pick the Truth That We Believe In

**TheDistantDusk, Arnel, and gryffindormischief were kind enough to beta this chapter. Only one more short chapter left after this one :) Also sorry for being later than the normal two weeks, I just got back from a holiday and jet lag has hit me like… well a jet. **

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Ginny rubbed the palms of her hands over her tired eyes. She hadn't gotten much sleep the previous night. After Phil had arrived, Ginny's mind couldn't rest. Every part of her body tingled and her stomach turned with suspicion. Harry had been the same way. They had lain together in silence, arms wrapped around each other.

It didn't make any sense to Ginny. Where had Phil come from and how had he found them? This wasn't an area that people just moseyed through. It was the middle of fucking nowhere!

When she'd finally fallen into an uneasy sleep, her dreams followed in a swarm of shadows. The only thing clear was a sinister grin. She had shot awake, and Harry had sat up with her, instantly alert and ready to fight.

That had been hours ago, when darkness had still covered the ground. She never fell back to sleep, but rather stared at the ceiling and felt her baby move around as restlessly as her mind. Harry had gotten up with the sun to tend to the morning chores. Ginny, however, refused to leave the warmth of the covers.

Ginny used her arm to cover her eyes, hoping to block out the light that broke past through the curtains.

"Gin?" Harry's voice spoke quietly across the dimly lit room, clearly worried about waking her.

"I'm up." She let her arms flop onto the mattress before rising up onto her elbows. Harry stood by the doorway, two steaming mugs clutched in his hands.

He moved slowly into the room. "I thought something warm would be nice, so I raided the tea stash." When he reached her side of the bed, he crouched beside her, a warm smile gracing his lips.

"Really?" Ginny fully sat up, which took some effort with her overly large stomach, before taking the mug he offered and inhaling the strong aroma. It was a simple blend, but it was the best scent in the world at the moment. Tea was typically saved for special occasions because their stock was minimal.

She took a small sip, enjoying the warmth that flooded through her body. "Mmm, you were right. Thank you, love." She brought her hand up to his face and ran her fingers across his jaw.

Harry leaned into her touch, his eyes closing on their own. "Anything for you."

They stayed in silence, both just content being with one another. Harry moved to the mattress, pulling Ginny's legs over his as his nimble fingers massaged slow circles into her calf. Between the soothing drink and calming caresses, Ginny thought she may be lulled back to sleep. That was until her mind started drifting back to the previous night.

"What is it?" Harry asked, his peaceful smile sliding away as he observed her.

"I - I, oh, Harry." She started rubbing a spot above her breast bone, hoping to rub out the pressure. "Phil showing up here can't just be a coincidence."

Harry let out a long sigh through his nose. He slid up the bed so he was next to her. Ginny tilted her head so it rested on his broad shoulder. "I know what you mean. I don't trust him at all."

"And Bill just let him in." Ginny could practically hear the growl in her voice. "He hasn't seen this bloke in years and he just let -" She would hurt anyone who threatened her family. If Phil put one toe out of line…

Harry's hand resumed its comforting motions on her legs. "We'll keep an eye on him, love. I won't allow him to hurt you or the baby."

Ginny turned to look at him. His normally inviting green eyes had taken on a hardened look as if he was preparing for war. And maybe that's what this was going to be. Ginny's mind started jumping from bad situations to worse. Phil trying to steal their supplies, hurting Bill, kidnapping Victoire…

"Gin." Harry kissed her lightly. "Nothing will happen, I promise."

"You can't promise that, Harry." Ginny felt tears welling up in her eyes. She had never been a crier, but between hormones and the worry of losing everything she'd fought for since that day her father sent her out of London…

Harry took the mug out of her hand and placed it on the bedside table before moving his body to hover over hers. His forehead came close to hers, almost touching, but not quite. A single finger came up to her chin, tilting it up so she was forced to meet his eyes. The hardened look had faded, replaced by a look of love she's been enchanted with for nearly ten years.

"I can promise it, because nothing - and I mean nothing - will harm my family. Without you." He sucked in a sharp breath, releasing it in a shaky exhale. "Without you, I can't do it."

"_Harry_." Ginny understood what he was saying, but she knew the world wasn't a place where dreams and needs were met. The universe didn't care if she lived, or what happened to Harry. She hated thinking about it herself, but every day there was a chance that Harry could be torn from her. If Harry didn't consider the real possibility…

Ever since getting pregnant, the sight of Fleur laying in her own blood had haunted her mind. And then Bill, who had been so lost without his wife, who was still sometimes lost… She didn't want that to happen to Harry, but the realist in her knew it was possible.

Harry merely shook his head. "No, Gin. I need you, and I will do everything for you."

Ginny's heart sank into her gut. She knew he wasn't lying. He would do anything for her, but what would he do if she wasn't around?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry remained motionless, staring out the kitchen window. He watched Victorie pass the football to Phil, the grown man nodding encouragingly as she lined up the shot. Harry didn't trust this man as far as he could throw a cricket ball. The fact that Bill had left his daughter alone with him… Harry hadn't taken his eyes off the two of them.

Victorie was as good as his own daughter. He would kill for that girl if need be - and there may be a need if his instincts about Phil were right.

"Hey." Harry jumped as a small hand came to rest in between his shoulder blades. He turned and met Ginny's concerned gaze. "You okay, love?"

"That's a bit of a loaded question in our current climate," Harry muttered.

Ginny gave his back a light slap before rubbing small smoothing circles on the afflicted area. "No need for sass, mister. You know what I meant."

Sighing, Harry turned his back on the window and wrapped his arms around Ginny. She snuggled into his embrace, as close as she could with her protruding belly. He pressed a kiss to the crown of her red hair. "I will be."

Ginny tilted her head to examine his face, searching for any signs of misleading. After a moment, she nodded. She brought her fingers up through his hair, letting the digits get tangled. She pulled his mouth to hers in a soft kiss. "We _all_ will be."

She started to detangle herself from him, but Harry held on tight to her waist. He brought his lips back to hers. He didn't want to leave her warmth. It was everything he required. Ginny seemed to understand his need. Her hands slid down from his neck to his back. She started rubbing small circles through his shirt.

The urge to move never came, and Harry just stayed in her arms. He closed his eyes, letting his other senses take control. All that became real was the way she felt in his arms, the sound of her light breaths, and her alluring scent becoming everything. A perfect moment in a dystopia.

The sound of the back door slamming broke the illusion. Harry's eyes shot open to the sight of Phil toeing off his boots as he entered the kitchen. Phil nodded towards them. "Hey! Vic was thirsty, so I volunteered to come in and get us some water."

He walked over to the cauldron of clean boiled water, gathering two cups on his way (including Victorie's favorite). Harry watched Phil's every move, from removing the lid to the container to ladling the liquid. Ginny had spun in his arms so her back was to Harry. Her attention seemed lasered on Phil as well.

Phil didn't seem to notice their unwavering focus. He started chatting away as he filled the cups. "Vic told me the princess cup is the best one in the house, so of course I have to get her that one." He looked up at them with a joyful smile. "So you're pregnant! That's wonderful for you two. You must be so excited!"

Harry's hand came instinctively to Ginny's stomach. The urge to take Ginny and run was great, but the urge to grab the stranger by the collar of his shirt and demand to know what he was doing there was stronger.

"We are." Ginny's tone was easy and open, but her body language told a different story as she pressed further back into Harry's chest.

Phil didn't seem to notice their discomfort. Instead, he continued finished collecting his drinks, completely at ease. "I love kids. How far along are you?"

Ginny's hand came to rest over Harry's on her stomach. "We don't know, but we're guessing seven or eight months."

"Oh, wow!" Phil turned away from the basin, his eyes come to rest on Ginny's belly. "Not too long now. I may even be here for the birth."

And with that bombshell, Phil walked out of the kitchen back towards the garden. Pain shot across the back of Harry's hand as Ginny dug her nails into skin. "Oh, bloody fucking hell," Ginny's vulgar language made Harry snort. She turned around in his arms. "What! I don't want him here when I give birth - for multiple reasons!"

Harry nodded, sliding his arms up to her biceps and rubbing soothing lines up and down. "He won't be. I'll talk to Bill if I have to."

Ginny released a shaky breath, her head coming to rest over his heart. "Maybe we're being overly suspicious. I mean… Bill trusts him enough to let him play with Vic alone."

She had a point, of course. Harry knew Bill would do anything for his daughter, and wouldn't trust her with _just_ anyone. "Maybe," he admitted slowly. "It has been a long time since we've been forced to deal with, let alone trust, someone new."

"Right." Ginny's words warmed Harry chest straight through his shirt. They remained stationary in the kitchen, both lost in their own thoughts. Ginny was the one to break the silence. She pulled away from his embrace, shifting from one foot to the other. "Well... I'm going to go out and join Vic and Phil. This could be one of the last nice days of the year."

Harry grabbed her hand as she waddled towards the back door. He pulled her back to him for a quick kiss. "I'll come with you." He placed an arm around her waist. Ginny leaned into him as they made their way to the garden.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Vic's all tucked up and fast asleep." Bill smiled as he walked down the sitting room stairs. Harry and Ginny rested on the sofa, his arm thrown over the back of her cushion.

"Well, she did have a big day." Phil laughed quietly. "We explored the Enchanted Forest and _then _became professional football stars."

Bill beamed at his friend. "I was worried she wouldn't go to sleep because she was excited to tell me all about her day with Philly."

Ginny let her head fall back onto Harry's arm. Between the warmth of his body beside her and how tired she always felt, sleep was imminent.

"Do they have doctors? Midwives?" Harry's body shifted, jarring Ginny awake. He had started to lean forward, his attention solely on Phil. Ginny turned her eyes to the man as well.

"Yeah." Phil looked between the three other adults in the room. "I mean, that's what I've heard at least."

"What?" Ginny sat up and had to clear her throat so she didn't sound like a boy going through puberty. "What are you talking about?"

Harry's hand came to her arm and started rubbing soothing tracks up and down. "You nodded off, luv. Phil was telling us about a group of people up in Scotland who have made some sort of city."

"A colony," Phil corrected. "I haven't been there, but I heard about it a year or so ago and had been toying with the idea of going to check it out." His eyes slid down to Ginny's stomach. "And apparently there are doctors and midwives."

Ginny's eyes followed Phil's. The idea of a medical professional… someone who could help her when this baby decided to come out… It was like some of the dreams she'd had since finding out she was pregnant. Harry's hand came down from her arm to rest on her stomach. She looked up at him, meeting his intense gaze. Ginny could tell his thoughts were running parallel to hers.

"That sounds worth checking out." Bill was looking at Ginny from his spot in the bulky armchair. "We could go up there and just check it out. Maybe see if they could take a look at you, Ginny."

Phil's hand shot to the back of his neck. "I don't know much about them, in all honesty. I don't know if they respond well to outsiders."

Harry's gaze shot away from Ginny's as he pounced at Phil's words. "But you were going to go check them out, weren't you? Why would you go and risk your life to see them if you didn't know if they'd accept you?"

"That was just me." Phil's hands came out in a defensive gesture. "I just don't know if it would be worth the risk with your pregnant - uh, I don't know if you two are married."

"In every way but by a church." Ginny placed a hand on Harry's leg, knowing Phil was digging himself a grave, and that Harry was more than ready to become his undertaker. She turned her gaze on Bill. "So maybe we could send a scout to see if they _are_ friendly."

Bill scratched his chin. "That wouldn't be a bad idea." He turned to Phil. "Do you know where their base is?"

"I mean…" Phil sighed. "I don't know the exact coordinates or anything but I think it's somewhere along Loch Ness."

"Why there?" Harry asked, his tone still suspicious.

"The name Nessie was thrown around a lot." Phil shrugged. "I really don't know, but it was the only thing that made sense in my mind."

Bill nodded. "No, that is a rather easy code to figure out… how many other Nessies are there?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "That's a lot of ground to cover, even with a car."

"That's why I never did it."

The room went silent. Harry's annoyance at Phil was practically palpable. Ginny moved her hand to Harry's knee and gave it a sharp squeeze, hoping to bring his attention to her. He turned to face her. In a silent plea, she asked him to just wait a few moments before doing or saying anything. He grimaced, but his eyes lost some of their heat.

Ginny squeezed Harry's knee once more before turning her gaze on Phil. "So, maybe now is the perfect chance to go out and find out, right Phil?"

Phil looked up from the floor, where his attention had dropped to avoid Harry's sharp looks. "Huh?"

"Well..." Ginny let the word roll off her tongue like she was coming up with the idea on the spot. "If you were to head out there and find out if they would let us come see them…" She placed a hand back onto her stomach, making sure Phil's eyes followed the movement. "It would be nice to see someone before the baby is born."

"Would you do that, Phil?" Bill asked, beaming at his friend. "If we lent you one for the cars we've fixed up, would you head over towards Loch Ness and see if you could find them? It would be so good for Ginny."

Phil looked like a cornered cat. His eyes bounced back and forth between Ginny and Bill (dodging Harry entirely). "Uh - I mean, I guess I could."

Bill clasped his hands together. "Great! We'll get you all set up in the morning with some supplies and what not." He stood and walked over to his friend, clapping a large hand on the other man's shoulder. "This means so much to me, Phil. Thank you."

"Of course." Phil seemed to have lost color, but it was hard to tell in the flickering candlelight. "I best head up and get some sleep."

"Good idea. We all should get some rest." Bill came over to the sofa and kissed the crown of Ginny's head before patting Harry's shoulder. "This is gonna be a good thing, I can feel it."

Ginny nodded. "Me too, Bill." She turned to Phil who had risen out of his chair. "Thanks, Phil."

"Sure, Ginny." Phil let out a shaky breath. "Anything I can do to help."

Bill and Phil left the sitting room together, walking up the stairs talking in hushed tones. Ginny turned to Harry. His jaw was slack as he stared at her.

"What?" Ginny cocked her head to the left. "I told you I didn't want him here, and Loch Ness seems like a good enough place to send him."

"You are -" Harry shook his head, his smile becoming wider and wider. "You're _incredible_."

Ginny shrugged, but she knew the cocky smirk on her lips negated the nonchalance. Harry leaned over and kissed her. Ginny happily tangled her hands in his hair.

Harry pulled back and stood quickly from the cushion, offering her a hand up. "Come on, I wanna show you just how in awe I am of you."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"How do you think Phil is doing?" Bill asked Ginny as he sat beside her on the rickety old wicker sofa on the back porch. Ginny had been resting with him against the cottage wall, watching happily as Harry and Victorie passed a football back and forth.

She turned to look at her brother. "I don't know. it's been about three weeks since he left?" And what a glorious three weeks it had been. Ginny hadn't felt so calm in ages. Without Phil and his unknown alliances looming over her, Ginny felt almost normal… well, minus the growing human pressing on all those important organs. "He's had some time to find that colony."

"Yeah, but I just figured he would have come back with some intel by now." Bill's brow was furrowed in concern. Ginny wanted to feel bad for sending Bill's friend out of the safety of their compound, but she just couldn't drag up any guilt. All she could feel was relief. Still, she wished her brother wasn't distressed over his friend.

"I'm sure he'll be back any day now." Ginny reached across the small gap between them and patted her brother's knee.

Bill sighed before nodding once. His blue eyes, just like their father's, held a touch of sadness while he forced a smile on his lips. "So, how's that baby? I know Victorie was kicking up a storm by this point."

Ginny smiled fondly down at her stomach, hand unconsciously coming to rest on the protruding bump. "Yeah, and he or she loves bouncing on my bladder every time I try to shut my eyes."

Bill laughed. "Yeah, they tend to do that." He looked towards the garden where Victoire had just let out a delighted squeal. Harry had lifted her up into the air, dangling her above the grass by her toes. "Harry's gonna be a great father."

Ginny didn't know if he was talking to himself or not, but she couldn't agree more. "He may not know it, but he will be."

"You know..." Bill turned back to Ginny, his eyes now alight with with what she could only describe as joy. "I honestly didn't know what to think at first. You and Harry," he clarified at Ginny's quirked brows, "but you two suit each other."

Ginny looked back at Harry and Vic. The little girl giggled wildy as Harry tickled her tummy. As if he sensed her gaze, Harry looked up at the porch. He smile widened as he met her eyes. Butterflies flew throughout her stomach. After all these years, he still affected her like a love-sick teenage girl. "Yeah, I think we do, too."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It took a second for Harry to register what woke him from his lovely dream of him and Ginny soaking in the sun by the sea coast. The loud crack was still reverberating in his ears. _Gun fire_.

He bolted out of bed, his hands automatically reaching for the glasses he left beside his bed. Shoving the frames onto his face, his eyes instantly sought out Ginny. She was sitting up in their bed, blinking rapidly in the bright moonlight the window provided.

"Was that a gunshot?" she whispered into the now-deafening silence.

"I think so." Harry reached to the floor where he'd left his trousers when he'd crawled under the covers. "I'm gonna go take a look."

"I'm coming too." Ginny hastened to detangle herself from the blankets but Harry shook his head.

"Hold on. You should go check on Vic." It was a good idea, but it also kept Ginny busy long enough for Harry to assess the situation.

"Harry." Ginny's glare was lessened by the lack of light, but Harry knew she was scowling at him.

He held up a hand in defense. "We need to see if she's all right." She let out a sharp breath from her nose, but didn't argue. Harry moved around the end of the bed and kissed her. "Love you."

"I love you too." Ginny ran a hand down his chest before pushing him towards the door. "Be careful."

Harry smirked at her as he walked backwards towards the door, stopping at the cabinet where he stored his gun. He undid the clip, checking to make sure it was still fully loaded. "You know me, I never go looking for trouble. It usually just finds me."

Ginny snorted as she reached for the overly large shirt she had discarded for the sake of comfort before she'd fallen asleep. Harry let his eyes roam over her form one final time. The way her long red hair fell in the moonlight was hypnotizing, and the curve of her chest had always drawn his attention. But it was her stomach that his gaze kept falling back to. Over the past few months, Harry had been fascinated by her growing stomach, and just the other day he'd seen a foot push against her skin. His child was alive in there, and there was nothing he wouldn't do to protect Ginny and their baby.

Before sentiment became too strong to overcome, Harry turned around and moved towards the stairs. He moved slowly, dodging the spots that would cause the old floorboards to creak. He wasn't sure where the gun shot had come from, other than it was near the house… or maybe _in_ the house.

Harry crept down, one stair at a time, listening for any foreign sounds. He didn't hear anything until his foot touched the second to last step from the bottom. There were muffled voices on the other side of the front door. Cautiously, he made it to the window, pushing the curtain imperceptibly to the left.

Not much could be seen in the waning moonlight, but Harry could recognize the back of Bill's head by the long ponytail. Bill stood stock-still on the porch, his attention on the group of three men, two of whom held another down to his knees. Phil was being forced to kneel in the dirt, a gun pressed to his right temple. His face was swollen and bruised and his chest rose in painful jerks.

The gun moved as the holder spoke angrily. Harry couldn't completely hear what the man was saying, but based his amature lip-reading the stranger was demanding, "Food, ammo, and the girl."

Harry slowly slid the curtain back into place. The girl… Nope! That wasn't _fucking _happening! He needed to get a clear shot on the two men. If he went through the back garden, he could land a shot on the bloke with the gun and deal with his friend after.

As he made his way through the sitting room towards the kitchen, Bill's muffled reply reached Harry's ears. He didn't need to watch Bill's lips to understand what he had said. It was easy enough to make it through the back garden. The moon provided the perfect amount of lighting and shadow, allowing him to see, but not _be_ seen.

Now that there were no walls blocking out sound, Harry could hear the rough voice of the intruder: "You really want to test me, _Billy_." The way he crooned Bill's name made shivers crawl down Harry's spine. "I have no patience when it comes to insubordinate people."

Bill's voice had taken a tone Harry had never heard before. It reminded him of a wolf, growling at its prey. "You'll _never _come near my daughter."

Harry reached the edge of the house and peered around the wall. Without his view partially blinded by the curtain, Harry could see what was happening much clearer. Phil had his hands tied as the man held the Glock 18 to his head. The shooter was bald with a face that reminded Harry of a cobra, down to his sharp eyes, cunning and ready to strike.

After taking a second to make sure the rest of his surroundings were clear, Harry stepped out from the side of the house, his sights locked on the bald man.

_Bang!_

Harry nearly dropped his weapon at the echo. He hadn't pulled the trigger! Then, Phil fell limp to the ground. Brain matter and blood mixed with the dirt next to Phil's dead body.

The shooter bared his wicked teeth. "Now this is the point where you say _over my dead body,_ and I make that threat come true." He changed his target, now pointing the weapon at Bill.

Harry didn't need any more encouragement. He aimed again, right at the side of the man's bald head. This time, his ears had time to prepare for the noise as he pulled the trigger. His shooting was as good as ever, and he hit his mark with perfect accuracy.

The man crumpled to the ground.

"_Fuck_!"

Harry turned in time to see the dead man's companion pull a pistol from his jacket. Training his sights on the new threat, Harry watched in horror as the new man pointed his weapon at Bill. The crack of gunfire rang in Harry's ears before he pulled his own trigger. His target fell to the ground, eyes wide and vacant.

"Bill!"

Harry heard the panic in Ginny's voice and realized too late why he'd heard his gunfire before he'd pulled his trigger. He rounded the house and saw Bill crumpled on the ground, his hand pressing over his chest. Ginny was trying to keep the sobbing Victorie from leaving the house, but the little girl was desperate to reach her daddy.

"Gin, stay with Vic!" Harry yelled as he ran towards the porch. He jumped the four stairs and slid to a stop beside Bill. He went to his knees, adding his own pressure to the profusely bleeding wound. Blood had seeped around Bill's hand and was staining the fabric of his white shirt.

"Harry." Bill's voice sounded far and distant, like he was at the end of a tunnel. "Is Vic—" He coughed, blood rising to coat his lips. "Did Vic see?"

"I -" Harry didn't want him to worry about Victorie at that moment. "Ginny has her, Bill."

Bill gave a weak nod. "Good. Don -" his chest heaved as he drew breath, "don't let her see me like this."

Harry's throat felt tight as he tried to think of a way to save the man who had become a brother to him. The wound was bleeding too much for any of their basic medical supplies. Even the stuff they'd gathered from the hospital when they went for Ginny's ultrasound wouldn't be enough. If Harry had to guess, he'd bet the bullet went through a lung. He didn't even want to risk turning the man over to see if it was clean shot.

"They wanted Vic, Harry." Bill coughed again, spraying more red. "Don't let - if there are more -" He choked.

"Of course they will never get her." Harry soothed. "I'd die before I'd let someone—" Bill let out a wheeze. He was fading fast, unable to gather enough oxygen. He opened his mouth but Harry shook his head. "Save your breath."

"No -" Bill gave him an appreciative smile. "No point." He took another drawn out and seemingly painful breath. "You and Ginny - will take good care - of Vic."

It wasn't a question. There wasn't any doubt about it. Bill's eyes lazily slid shut as if he were falling into a peaceful dream.

"Bill." Harry gave the man's shoulder a light shake. "_Bill_." But Bill didn't respond. His chest rose a few more times, then stilled. Harry moved his hand to Bill's neck. No pulse. He looked up to where Ginny had been. She was still struggling with Victoire, but Ginny wasn't trying to leave the girl any more. Rather, she wrapped her arms around Vic's shoulders and held her as close as she could. Tears filled her eyes as she met Harry's gaze. She knew that her brother was gone.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"How's Vic?" Harry asked, taking the empty sofa cushion next to Ginny. The little girl in question currently lay sleeping in her aunt's lap.

Ginny sighed. "She cried herself to sleep." She shook her head. "She saw it all, Harry. I was trying to get her to go out the back door with me, but when I heard the gunshot…" Ginny licked her lips, her mouth opening for a moment before words came out. "I panicked and went to see what happened."

Harry threw an arm over Ginny's shoulder, bringing her closer to his body. She pressed her face into his shirt, her body trembling slightly. Her voice was muffled as she continued her story. "I thought you'd been shot, and I couldn't think of anything else."

He just held her close, hoping his presence would help nullify any of those dark thoughts. After a minute, Ginny inhaled a few deep breaths before pulling back. His shirt was damp, but he didn't care as long as she felt better. He brushed away a stray tear with his thumb.

"So." She sniffed. "Did you find out anything from their bodies?"

Harry had buried Bill before checking on Ginny and Victoire who had gone back into the house. Victoire had been understably upset and needed comfort, so Ginny had volunteered to stay in the house with Vic while Harry took care of their assailants. Ginny knew he would have taken the chance to go through their pockets in hopes of finding anything useful or even information on why they'd come to their home.

He nodded, pulling out a map from the bald man's trouser pocket. Harry opened it wide, and it showed the entirety of the United Kingdom. Red marks covered the terrain in between scribbles of notes and markers. Ginny's eyes were drawn to the Xs covering the lower part of the map—London, Bath, and Peterborough, just to name a few of the crossed areas.

"See, I think the Xs are places they've gone and looted." Harry dragged his finger over the lower country. "And that means up this way"— he slid his way up towards Scotland— "is still untouched."

Ginny had to agree with his hypothesis. Even with her limited knowledge of tactics and following map layouts, she guessed the bandits had started near London and made their way across the country, just like she and Harry had so many years ago. What she couldn't quite understand was what Harry was planning. There must be a reason for the tactical lesson. "Okay, so what are you thinking?"

Harry looked away from the chart, his eyes hard. "I think we need to leave and find a new place to live."

_That_ was exactly what Ginny had feared. She knew it was all based on logic. Someone found them once, so they could be found again. Not to mention, they didn't know how many more people knew of their whereabouts. Was it just the bald man and his friend, or was there a whole clan of people that knew where they lived?

She sighed, leaning her head onto Harry's shoulder. "So where do you think we should head?"

Harry placed the map on his lap and moved his hand to her thigh, rubbing slowly up and down. "Towards Loch Ness."

"Really?" Ginny tilted her head to look at his set jaw.

"If Phil was right and there were doctors -" Harry's words fell short, his attention drifting to her rounded stomach. "We gotta at least try and if Phil was a lying pig, then we just go find a new place to settle."

"But we don't know where it is around Loch Ness."

"That's true," Harry agreed. His hand had moved up from her thigh to her stomach still rubbing soothingly. "But it's the only lead we have. We'll take the car out front, siphoning gas from the bandit's truck."

He was right, of course. Ginny knew they had limited options; with the baby coming sooner rather than later and Bill… She took a deep breath. "Okay. We should get some rest."

Harry leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, his lips lingering. "I'll take Vic up. She should sleep with us tonight."

She nodded and waited for Harry to take the little girl in his arms before rising. In so little time, everything she'd grown accustomed to had question was, would they ever find a place where they could truly settle again?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry shut the car door as quietly as he could, locking it behind him. Vic and Ginny were both fast asleep and he had no desire to wake them. They had been driving up north for three days, stopping often so Victorie wouldn't become too overwhelmed by being in the car for so long. Not to mention Ginny's constant need to pee.

This time, it was Harry's bladder that caused the halt in progress. He had parked on the side of the road near a cluster of trees that gave him perfect coverage.

It didn't take long for Harry to finish his business. He zipped up his trousers before making his way back to the vehicle. The rising sun presented the perfect amount of light for Harry to make out the looming figure standing by the car… by his _family_.

"Oi!" Harry bellowed as he ran towards the person, reaching to the holster he'd attached to his belt as he went. The man— and now that he was closer, Harry could tell it was a man— raised his hands into the sky, palms facing out.

"Don't shoot!" The stranger's voice deep but in a friendly, your-favorite-uncle kind of way. "I mean no harm."

Harry continued to point his pistol at the man, though he moved with less gusto, focusing on aim rather than speed. "Back away from the car."

The man did as he was told, cautiously walking backwards ten meters, hands still raised. Harry reached the car and looked at his sleeping family. The yelling hadn't even woken them. He looked back at the interloper, taking in his well combed hair and clean clothing. He looked… normal, which was more alarming then if he'd been covered in grime and tattered clothing. In today's world, normal was unnatural.

"Who are you?" Harry asked keeping his sights locked on the man.

"My name is Bruce." The stranger kept his hands raised, not faltering in his eye contact. "I saw your car from over there." He pointed towards a house. "And I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Well, now you know. And now you can leave us be."

"Would your companion's name be Ginny, by chance?" Bruce didn't flinch when Harry's hand jerked.

Harry's mind was moving at the speed of light. Why? How? Who? Instead of asking all his questions in a concise manner, his jaw hung open.

Bruce stepped cautiously towards the vehicle. "I think you should come with me. There is someone back at my base who would love to see you."

_Nope_ was the first thought that ran through Harry's mind. He knew nothing about this bloke, and just because he knew Ginny's name didn't mean he should be trusted. _Actually_, it made Harry trust him less.

"I know you don't have any reason to trust me." Bruce took another wary step forward. "But it will all be explained in five minutes. The base is right over there." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "You can even keep me at gun point if it makes you feel more comfortable."

Harry didn't have a clue what to do. It was probably a trap, but at the same time… he'd known Ginny's name. Ginny! "Don't move," he told Bruce in his more threatening tone, before opening the driver's side door and crawling into the seat on his knees. Leaning across the console, Harry gently shook Ginny awake. "Gin."

She slowly opened her eyes. "Harry?"

"There is someone here."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ginny walked beside Harry, who carried the still sleeping Vic. She kept the gun on Bruce's back, never letting it waver. _Who the fuck was this guy?_ Bruce hadn't explained much, but what he had said made Ginny's curious side flare. How did he know her name? Who wanted to see them... _her_?

"It's right here." Bruce pointed to a simple church twenty meters in front of them. "I'll give them the code." He made his way up the steps, Ginny and Harry following close. Bruce knocked once, then twice, and finally three more times in rapid succession.

The door opened a crack showing the bare minimum of a face. "Bruce?"

"Malcolm, it's fine. This is Ginny, Harry, and little Victoire."

"Ginny?" Malcolm widened the opening. "Like -"

"I think so." Bruce glanced over his shoulder at Ginny. "Let us in, please."

The door opened completely revealing a welcoming wide space. Camp beds covered the floor, most of which had snoozing occupants. Malcolm waved them in and they followed Bruce inside the building.

"I'll wait here if you want to—" Bruce spoke to Malcolm but a sharp gasp and the sound of a dropping pan made the group turn their gaze.

Ginny's mind went blank as she stared at the man. It had been years, nearly ten, but his face hadn't changed.

"Ginny?" His voice was like sandpaper as he stood stock still.

Nothing in this world could have prepared her for this moment. She'd accepted that the idea of seeing him again was a pipe dream, but he was there in front of her.

Ginny stepped forward. "Dad?"


	12. Fall Into the Night with You

**And thus, the end is upon us! The final chapter of Doom Days. I'd like to thank everyone who has read this far and reviewed. You guys are all awesome! And as always, TheDistantDusk, Arnel, and gryffindormischief have all been nice enough to comb through this chapter, and I would like to thank them!**

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Ginny couldn't sleep. Her mind was reeling like an endless fishing line. Her father - the man she hadn't seen in nearly ten years, who she'd thought to be dead - was here. He was here, leading a group of survivors. Here… and not with her. Over the years, she'd thought about her father, imagining him staying with her mother until her final breath. Then, because he stayed with her, Ginny assumed he'd fallen to the same illness. It had always been nagging in the back of her mind that he'd more than likely died alone.

But he hadn't. Arthur Weasley was alive and helping others, which was just like him. And yet, Ginny couldn't help but feel...abandoned.

Why hadn't he come to Bill's and stayed with his family? It had been nearly ten years without a word. He could have at least sent word that he was okay, but no. Instead, she'd thought both her parents were gone.

Ginny rolled onto her left side. No matter how many positions she'd tried, sleep evaded her. Harry's slow breathing warmed her cheek as she moved in closer to his warmth, hoping that his presence would soothe her unease. It had been like a ball in the pit of her stomach the moment she'd seen her father, but it had been snowballing steadily until she reached the point where she literally felt ill.

"_Fuck_." Ginny whispered the word into the silent room. She wouldn't be able to sleep, not if her mind just wouldn't stop spinning. Rolling over again, Ginny flipped the blankets off her body before setting her feet onto the cold wooden floor. Ignoring the chill that ran up from her toes to her spine, Ginny started to waddle away from the overly large cot she and Harry had been given.

As it was early afternoon, most people were out of the make-shift dormitory, tending to the gardens or on patrol. Arthur had sent Harry and Ginny to the bathhouse before sending them to get some well-deserved rest. He'd then taken the wide awake Victoire to walk around the village grounds. At first Ginny had hesitated to let Vic out of her sight… but it was her father, and even though she hadn't seen him in years, she knew Arthur would protect his granddaughter with his life. She just had to think about the pure affection and joy in Arthur's face when he'd been introduced to Vic for the first time. Ginny swore she'd seen a tear run down her father's cheek as Vic hugged him.

Waddling as effectively as she could, Ginny reached the back window that provided a perfect view down the little hill that showed off the village. Arthur and a few others had made the church, small shops, and few houses into a community. It wasn't much, nothing like what Seamus had been part of, but even though she'd been there for under twenty-four hours, Ginny could feel the village's homely charm.

In the trip from the church to the bathhouse (which had once been the local school before they'd added bathtubs to the toilets), Ginny had been introduced to a handful of people, all of whom had greeted her with warm exclamations over meeting the famous daughter of Arthur. And the number of congratulations she'd received over her pregnancy felt like they numbered in the thousands. Instead of feeling off-put and suspicious like she'd been when Phil had talked to her, Ginny had felt comfortable and welcome.

"Ginny?" She turned to see her smiling father. He strode from the side door he'd come from, his eyes flickering over to Harry's sleeping form. It didn't take long for him to be beside her. "What are you doing up?"

"I -" She looked up into the warm blue eyes that were the same as they were when she was a child, only with a more wrinkles formed at the corners. "I couldn't sleep." Ginny glanced behind him. "Where is Vic?"

Arthur's smile widened. "She made friends with a little boy named Teddy. Both his parents are dead, but his grandmother is alive and caring for him." His hand came to rest between her shoulder blades like he used to do when she was a child. "How are you, Ginny?"

She sighed, the tension in her shoulders ebbed away as her father started rubbing soothing circles into her back. "I - I don't really know."

Arthur nodded. "That's understandable. This is a lot to take in."

"You can say that again." Ginny let her eyes slowly shut.

"This is a lot to take in."

Ginny opened her eyes to see her smirking father. She shook her head, unable to stop her lips from curling up. "Dad," Ginny met his gaze. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, darling." He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry I haven't been there for you. I -" Arthur choked up. "I - I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me. You and B -Bill."

Ginny turned away from the window, pressing her body as close to her father as her stomach would allow. "Oh, Dad." Everything she'd been feeling, sadness over losing Bill, the astonishment of seeing her father, not to mention the dreaded pregnancy hormones she'd been facing, all welled to the surface, spilling over in the form of tears. There was no way for her to stop the waterworks.

"Ginny." The gentleness of Arthur's tone just made her cry harder. He rocked the two of them slowly, back and forth

She stayed in his arms, her face soaking his dark button-up shirt for what felt like hours. Eventually, Ginny pulled away from her father's chest. She wiped under her eyes. "I'm -" She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry."

Arthur smiled at her fondly. "You have nothing to be sorry for." His grin faltered. "I, on the other hand," he took a deep breath, "I need you to know, I was on my way to find you. To Bill's house. But around Witney, I met this man and his son… They needed help. His wife had just died and his son was so young. I figured that once I helped them settle somewhere, I would make my way back towards you and Bill, but… I found another lost soul and another until I was heading a little group of ten people."

Ginny knew her father was a helpful man, he was always the kind stranger who would stop to help you change a flat tire, but to build a colony…

"Eventually, I decided I needed to get the people further from London, so we packed up and headed north. We traveled for weeks until..." He glanced back out at the village. "We found our home."

Arthur turned back to her, his eyes beseeching. "I thought about you all the time, but I couldn't leave all these people. And I knew Harry would take care of you." A smile reappeared on his lips. "I'd say you two took care of each other. And if I may," he placed a hand on her stomach. "You two are happy?"

The fluttering movement of her child moving made Ginny place her hand next to her father's. "So happy, Dad."

"That's all I can ask for." Arthur kissed her forehead.

"Dad," Ginny swallowed the lump in her throat. "You know you have nothing to be sorry for, right?"

Arthur's blue eyes met hers, shame still overwhelming in their depths. "I should have come and told you I was all right. I imagine you've thought me dead all these years."

Ginny shook her head. "No, you did the right thing. You helped people who needed you. But I do have to ask something."

"Anything."

"How -" Ginny licked her lips, trying to think of the best way to ask her question. She didn't have a clue how her father was gonna react. "What happened to Mum?"

It was like all the energy drained from Arthur instantly. His shoulders sagged as his eyes welled with tears. "Your mother," he cleared his throat blinking rapidly. "Your mother didn't want me to die with her. She knew I would never leave her so - she took mat - matters into her own hands."

Ginny let his words wash over her. "She took -" Her jaw dropped. "Are you saying she killed herself?"

The pain in Arthur's eyes said everything is mouth was unable to. Even though, logically, Ginny had known her mother was gone years ago. Grief sucker-punched her.

"She locked the door a few hours after you left and -" Arthur shut his mouth, shaking his head. "She didn't want me to die too."

Ginny gripped the back of her father's shirt, holding him close again. "Mum always was willing to do anything to keep us all safe."

Arthur nodded. "Yes, she was such an amazing woman and mother." They stayed in silence for a while, taking comfort in the other's arms until Arthur broke the quiet. "I miss her."

"Me too," Ginny admitted. "I always thought she would be with me when I gave birth."

"She would have been." Arthur smiled fondly. "Molly would have been by your side the whole time."

Ginny knew he was right. "But at least I get to have you there."

Arthur's eyes widened before crinkling. "It will be an honor to be there with you."

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Harry took a swig from the canteen. His hair was plastered to his forehead from the sweat. Arthur had asked for his help fortifying the walls surrounding the little village. It reminded Harry of London, with metal scraps converted into barriers and wooden structures crafted at strategic points for guards.

But there was something completely different than London: the atmosphere. The overcrowded streets of London always felt as if hands were closing around your throat, no sympathy or care. If you died, you died. Just one less mouth to feed. But this little community… Arthur had formed a home for everyone.

A hand slapped him hard on the back, nearly making Harry spit out his drink. He sputtered as he turned to glare at Oliver Wood.

Wood was a few older than Harry, with the build of a professional football keeper - and _seeing _as he'd been one for years before Morsmordre swept the nation, it made sense.

"Sorry, mate." Wood pulled his hand back with a guilty smile. "You all right?"

"Ye -." Harry cleared his throat. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Good. Good." Wood's smile shifted back from concern to excitement. "Did you hear what we're working on once we complete the walls?"

Harry hadn't. He'd only been in the community for a few weeks and was still just settling in. He hadn't preoccupied himself with gossip or renovation, focusing his energy on his family instead.

Vic had finally broken down over her father, crying in his arms as he helped her dress after a bath. It had started off as a sniffle or two, then a few tears, before erupting into body shaking sobs. Harry had pulled the weeping girl into his arms, running his hands over her damp head. Later that night before bed, Vic had asked why her daddy had died. Ginny had thankfully been with Harry during that breakdown, and between the two of them, they soothed the little girl.

Ginny… Harry had to admire her. Though she was grieving her brother too, she had taken on Victorie's pain and comforted the child. Tears had fallen from all their eyes that night.

Within the week of being in the village, they had gone to the healer of the community, a nice but stern woman named Poppy. She had checked over Ginny and the baby, using her fingers to feel around Ginny's stomach. She wasn't entirely sure how far along Ginny was, but she warned them that the baby could come any day.

Panic had started to course throughout Harry's body at the words. _Any day_. He wasn't nearly prepared. They had started a little nest at Bill's. A cot, some decent clothing, nappies - as many cloth nappies as they could find, and some minor things. But they hadn't been able to take most of it with them. Ginny had managed to gather a few things from their collection, but most of it had to stay behind. Ginny, however, stayed cool and calm. That night, she snuggled up to him, whispering sweet words of comfort and love into his ear, which was exactly what he needed.

"Harry?" Oliver placed his hand back onto Harry's shoulder, bring him out of his recollection.

"Sorry." Harry's hand came up to rub the back of his neck. "No, I have no idea what we're working on next."

Oliver's eyes became alight with excitement. "A football field!" Oliver was so enthusiastic Harry was afraid he might wet himself.

Harry smiled. "Vic will love that."

"I'm planning on starting a team." Wood had a glint in his eye that made Harry afraid for the other team. Oliver was a competitive man, to say the least. "You in?"

"Er -" Before Harry could give a solid answer, Lisa (Poppy's trainee) came running from behind the converted bathhouse.

"Harry!" The woman sucked in a large gulp of air as she skidded to a stop in front of him. "It's Ginny." Another gulp. "She's in labor and she asked me to come get you."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ginny couldn't take her eyes off Harry. Harry and the baby. _Their_ baby girl. It had been a long twenty hours, but the end result… Ginny was in awe of it all. Poppy had made sure everything had gone smoothly as possible. And now, two hours later, Ginny was tired but unable to sleep.

The baby let out a whimper, her lip trembling. Harry started making cooing noises, bringing the baby up to his chest and bouncing slowly. She sighed and settled into his shirt.

All those visions of Harry caring for their baby didn't even come close to the reality. If anyone asked, Ginny would blame the tears welling in her eyes on the hormones, but she knew it was more than that. Keeping her voice low, hoping to encourage the peace, she whispered, "Well done."

Harry slowly lifted his gaze up from the bundle tucked in his arms. His eyes were overly bright as he met hers. The contented smile on his lips spoke more than words. He made his way over to the bed Ginny rested in, being careful not to jostle the baby too much.

As he sat down on the edge of the mattress a quiet knock came from the bedroom door. It opened slowly, Arthur's red and grey head peering around the frame. "You two up for a couple visitors?"

Ginny looked at Harry who nodded. "Sure, Dad. Come on in."

The door swung wide revealing Vic peeking around her grandfather's legs. Arthur had a hand in the girls shoulder. Ginny smiled at them. "Hey Vic, wanna come meet your new cousin?"

Harry gave Vic an encouraging nod, boosting the newborn up higher up his shoulder. Vic stepped hesitantly into the room, moving as if there could be a bomb under each floor tile. Finally, she reached the bed.

"Come on up." Ginny patted the spot beside her, ignoring the pain in her body as she scooted towards the other edge. Vic climbed up the mattress and shared Ginny's pillow.

Arthur came over to the mattress, holding a spare pillow. He placed it on Vic's lap. "Now, whenever Harry can tear himself away from my new, beautiful granddaughter, you can hold her." Vic's eyes grew the size of saucers.

Harry smiled at Arthur. "Not an easy feat!"

Arthur nodded understandingly. "Never is."

Ginny looked at Vic. "Do you want to hold the baby?"

Vic bit her bottom lip, clearly debating with herself. Finally, she nodded.

Harry gently turned the baby so she was laying in his arms rather than against his chest. "Hold out your arms like this." Vic followed his example, her arms held out stiffly.

Ginny smiled as she helped the girl correct her hold. "There you go, luv."

Harry slowly placed the infant into her cousin's arms. Vic's focus never strayed from the bundle. "She has _a lot _of hair."

Ginny laughed, running her hands over the baby's bright red hair. "And it's messy, just like her father's."

Harry smiled down at them, his eyes meeting Ginny's in a loving look. "Poor kid."

She shook her head. "I love your hair!"

As Harry opened his mouth, most likely to make another cheeky comment, the baby let out a loud whimper. Her eyes had opened, showing off the classic baby blue that Ginny was certain would turn emerald green like Harry's. The baby's bottom lip trembled before she started to cry loudly.

Victoire looked around at the adults, her concern obvious. Ginny smiled at her. "It's nothing you did, Vic. She just hungry from the sounds of it." She gently took the baby from the girl's arms. It took a moment for Ginny to adjust herself to attach the baby to her breast, but it became marginally easier when Harry came over and helped. Once the infant was happily sucking away, Ginny turned her attention back to the room.

Vic watched the baby with a curious expression. That contented smile had spread back across Harry's lips as he looked at her. But it was Arthur's look of pride that made tears spring to Ginny's eyes.

"So what's her name?" Arthur asked, his voice rougher than normal.

Ginny turned towards Harry. They hadn't really discussed a name yet, still being in a state of nirvana just getting to hold their daughter. "Her -" Harry blinked rapidly. "Oh, right." His hand jumped to the back of his neck. "Well, I was thinking," he paused, taking a deep breath, "What about Molly?"

"I -" The tears that she'd been able to hold back before now fell onto her cheeks. "I love it." Ginny looked down at the little girl in her arms. "Little Molly Potter. She looks like a Molly."

A choking noise made Ginny look up. Arthur was crying now, tears sliding off his cheeks. "Your mother would be so honored." He moved over to Harry and hugged him before leaning down and kissing the top of Ginny's head. "I have to go and see to the wall. I'll be back later. Do you want to come with me Vic and give these two a bit of alone time?" The young girl started to shake her head, but then Arthur said the magic words. "We can go see Teddy."

Victoire beamed at her grandfather. "Okay." She kissed Ginny's cheek before hopping off the mattress. She went around the frame to hug Harry before leaving the bedroom with Arthur, who closed the door gently behind them.

Harry sighed, moving around the bed to take the spot Vic had vacated. "Your father knew just what we needed."

"Well, he has been through this a few times," Ginny chuckled lightly. She looked down at Molly, whose eyelids had started to flutter shut. After a few seconds of quiet, Molly's mouth fell open as she fell asleep.

"Gin." Harry sounded as if he'd swallowed a jar of sand. She looked up at him to see more emotion in his eyes than ever before. "Thank you."

She shook her head. "There's nothing to thank me for. I love you and this is everything I could want."

He leaned over and kissed her lightly, lovingly. When he pulled back, his nose nuzzled hers. "I love you too."

Ginny knew she must have the sappiest smile on her lips, but in that moment, she didn't care. After all the shit they'd gone through, all the heartache and trauma, they were getting a little slice of happiness and peace they craved. Ginny could only hope that this would last forever, the feeling that the doomed days were over. When she looked down at Molly, hope was easy. When Harry wrapped his arms around her shoulder, hope seemed effortless. Ginny had everything she needed to truly live, and what more could she ask for?


End file.
